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Murder Suspect Lived On Same Street As Victim

517 views · Published 25 September 2012 · 2:47 · Indexed 17 October 2026

Channel: WTVC NewsChannel 9 · 2012 · News & Politics

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by John Madewell  New details are surfacing about the vacuum cord strangulation death of 75-year-old JoAnn Desha.The accused 20-year-old killer, Reginald Mapp, Jr., has a criminal history and lives in the same neighborhood as DeSha.The homicide happened in the Shepherd Community and Mapp lived only nine doors away from the victim. The Meadowbrook Heights subdivision remains on edge.Mapp denied killing DeSha. But he told investigators he had been at her house on September 15, the same day she was found dead.According to the arrest affidavit, the victim's daughter and son-in-law found her dead in the living room with a vacuum cleaner cord around her neck.Detectives later learned that her rings, cell phone and keys to her Cadillac were missing.The investigation led officers to Mapp's home, on the same street and just nine doors away.Inside, they found the keys to Desha's Cadillac and the owner's manual. The 20-year-old, who has been arrested for burglary once and theft twice in his past, told officers he bought the car for 00.He told officers DeSha couldn't find the title, but gave him the keys and manual.Meanwhile, Heather Cooper lives just two houses away from the murder victim in this quiet subdivision of well-kept homes. Cooper said, "It's just very disturbing that it happened within our own neighborhood. It's also very sad that one of our own was killed by one of our own neighbors."Court records show that since turning 18 years old, police have arrested Mapp three times for 11 different offenses. Those include two counts of theft of property and burglary. In February of 2011, Mapp pleaded guilty to burglary of a business and was sentenced to a three year suspended sentence.Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Don Poole handed down the judgment. NewsChannel 9 contacted Judge Poole this afternoon. He returned our call on short notice and said without reasearching the circumstances around the disposition, he couldn't comment.Meanwhile, Mapp has been charged with felony murder, aggravated robbery and especially aggravated robbery. He's scheduled for his first court appearance on Monday, October 1.

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