New details have surfaced in the investigation of a double shooting that left two people dead in a home on Ridge Road.
On Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, at 4:32 p.m., the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office received a call for a welfare check on the residence. A subsequent 911 call came from a 16-year-old who reported finding his mother and stepfather deceased in the home.
Responding to the scene were deputies from the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Office, officers from the Minerva Police Department, and personnel from the Sandy Creek Joint Fire District. The victims, identified as Vanessa Chester and Jason Hilaire, were found with gunshot wounds.
The county Coroner’s Office and Child Protective Services were also called to the scene.
According to reports obtained by Jordan Miller News (JMN), Chester and Hilaire were going through a divorce. A mutual friend reportedly received an “ominous-sounding voicemail” from Hilaire that last approximately 28 minutes, prompting the welfare check when they were unable to reach them.
The Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate, and no further details have been released.
