That’s according to new information released to this media outlet Saturday by Fairfield Police in the aftermath of one of their officers shooting to death the male suspect, who has now been identified along with the female victim, who died from her stab wounds.
The Butler County Coroner’s office released a statement saying the stabbing victim was 37-year-old Michelle R. Henry. Logan A. Willliamson, 37, died at the scene after being shot by Fairfield Police as he was stabbing Henry. Henry later died at Mercy Hospital-Fairfield.
The first Fairfield officer on the scene, identified as Officer Bryan Carnes, a three-year veteran, allegedly found Williamson stabbing Henry inside the townhouse.
In an attempt to stop the stabbing, Carnes fired two shots, striking Williamson. He was pronounced dead at the scene, said Fairfield Police Chief Steve Maynard.
Police records show officers had previously been called to respond to the couple’s address in September 2017 on a domestic violence report where Williamson was arrested for attacking Henry.
Henry told officers “her boyfriend tried to poison her by placing (sic) dissolvable sleeping pills in her mouth while she was sleeping.”
Police records also showed that in recent years Williamson had been arrested for fleeing police after speeding, carrying alcohol and a weapon in a car on another occasion.
And the woman’s family members had asked police to stop at the address last year to check on Henry, saying they had not heard from her for an extended time.
Dispatchers received the 911 call for the incident at 5:49 a.m. Friday at a townhouse located in a quiet neighborhood off Pleasant Avenue. A female caller blurted out the address then continues to scream for help during the three-minute, 20-second call.
“He’s stabbing me!” the woman screams once.
The dispatcher continues to ask the woman to repeat the address.
“Please yell your address to me so I can send help,” the dispatcher says. “Shout your address, your apartment number.”
One of the officers says: “I heard someone yell ‘help!’”
When Officer Bryan Carnes and Sgt. Aaron Meyer got to the residence, they forced entry and ran up the steps, Maynard said.
“(They) made their way to an upstairs bathroom where they encountered a male and a female. The male was stabbing the female. Officer Bryan Carnes, who was the first officer to make it to the bathroom, fired several rounds from his pistol striking the male and stopping the initial threat,” Maynard said during a press conference four hours after the incident.
Henry was transported to Mercy Fairfield Hospital where she died, according to police. Williamson died at the scene.
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation has taken over the investigation, Maynard said. As is standard procedure, the two officers are on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of that investigation.
The chief said there is body camera footage of the incident and once BCI and the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office “deems appropriate, we will release it.”
Carnes is a three-year veteran of the force. He previously worked for Englewood Police Department, north of Dayton, according to the chief. He received a good review in October, with the preparer stating, “Officer Carnes is a very well rounded officer who has taken on additional responsibilities within the organization. He is an asset to the department.”
Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said the incident will be presented to a grand jury of review when the investigation is completed. It is Gmoser’s policy that all officer involved shootings are presented to a grand jury.
(Staff writer Michael D. Clark contributed to this story)
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