COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Division of Police has arrested a 16-year-old accused of killing an 18-year-old last month on the east side.
Keith Waddell was taken into custody Tuesday by SWAT officers in the area of Carbondale Drive and Glenbriar Street.
Police said Waddell was processed through Columbus Police Headquarters before being taken to the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center.
Waddell was wanted in the shooting death of Nelson Conley Jr. on July 6.
The shooting happened in the 1000 block of Ellsworth Avenue located east of Lockbourne Road.
A 911 caller told police that they found Conley's body in an alley. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
In May, CrimeTracker 10 ran a report profiling the “Game Over kids” — groups of juveniles police say are responsible for a large number of car thefts across central Ohio.
One of the incidents referenced in that report was an October 2021 police pursuit of a stolen vehicle involving two teens, one of which streamed the chase live on Facebook. Police say Conley, 17 at the time, was the driver of the stolen vehicle.
Police told 10TV that a stolen Kia was found near the July 6 shooting scene.
At the time of Conley’s death, he was facing charges in 10 different cases, according to Columbus police.
Conley was the second suspected car thief to become a homicide victim this year.
Chaz Fleming, 18, was shot and killed inside a stolen car in March. Police said at least three other juveniles were in the car at the time of the shooting.
In May, 18-year-old Tayeshawn Gavin was arrested and charged in Fleming's murder.