Sheila Denise Tenpenny Obituary, Death; – The Hamilton County coroner’s office has disclosed initial autopsy results concerning the death of a 64-year-old woman, who was reportedly killed by her 13-year-old neighbor earlier this month.
The events transpired late on February 1 and into February 2, when law enforcement responded to a residence on Germania Street following a report of an unresponsive individual. Authorities confirmed that the woman, later identified as Sheila “Denise” Tenpenny, was deceased, and the circumstances surrounding her death were deemed “suspicious in nature.”
Tenpenny’s brother discovered her lifeless body in her home on Germania Street on February 2 and promptly contacted emergency services. He expressed his belief that his sister had been murdered, noting that her head was covered with a pillow and her legs were exposed. He reported seeing blood near her body, which was found unclothed in her bed, and mentioned that her door was ajar, stating, “She doesn’t leave her door open.”
A police report from Fairfax indicated that investigators uncovered “blood on the bed and on a tablet beside Ms. Tenpenny, along with several bottles of cleaning supplies.” Subsequently, her death was classified as a homicide by the authorities.
On Tuesday, the coroner’s office announced that the autopsy revealed Tenpenny had suffered trauma to the head and neck, confirming the cause of death as homicide. This incident prompted law enforcement, along with the Ohio attorney general, to seek public assistance in locating the individual responsible. In their outreach, Fairfax police indicated that the suspect was “likely physically injured while committing the crime” and “may exhibit visible cuts or bruises on his hands, wrists, and/or forearms.”
Court documents reveal that a 13-year-old has been charged with murder in connection with Tenpenny’s death. Attorney General Yost expressed his condolences for the victim’s family, stating, “My heart breaks for the victim’s family. I’m so grateful for the BCI agents who worked around the clock to swiftly piece together this horrific crime and identify a suspect. The case is unspeakably tragic.”
The announcement of charges against the teenager occurred ten days after Tenpenny was discovered. Investigators have not provided further comments.
