AKRON, Ohio — A man wanted for the shooting death of a 21-year-old man and the robbery of a 59-year-old Akron woman in December 2020 has been arrested by members of the U.S. Marshal’s Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force and Akron police officers, according to authorities.
Javion Rankin, 19, was arrested Monday afternoon in the 500 block of East Wilbeth Road.
Rankin was wanted in the shooting death of Tyraye Carter, 21, who was shot and killed on Dec. 3 in the area of Tampa Avenue and 28th Street SW.
DNA evidence linked Rankin to Carter’s death several weeks after the killing leading police to issues arrest warrants.
Carter's mother, Mykeesha Carter, is heartbroken over the murder and has wondered for a few months who did it.
"Tremendous despair and hell," Carter said while describing how she has felt. "Very angry, have no really understanding as to why."
Mykeesha said she felt a tremendous sense of relief when she heard of the arrest.
"Thank God for DNA. That's just perfect. I'm glad," she said.
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On December 4, Rankin also approached Sheila Moore, a grandmother, as she tried to enter her apartment on Nestor Avenue and then attacked her, police said.
During the robbery, Rankin allegedly knocked the woman to the ground, kicked and dragged her through the mud.
"Once he got me down trying to get my purse, he was stomping me in the head, just stomping me. He did it like six or seven times," Moore told News 5. "It was frightening. I never would have thought something like that would happen to me."
Moore said maintenance workers came to her aid and chased after the suspect who got away in a car.
During the struggle, Moore said she knocked a mask off her attacker.
Police confirmed DNA evidence from that crime scene connected Rankin to the robbery.
Moore wonders if the "DNA hit" came from that mask.
"I'm really happy, I'm so happy that the DNA solved it," she said.
Moore said she is still scared from the incident and continues to see a doctor. She can't shake an eerie feeling realizing the same man of attacking her is now locked up in the Summit County Jail for a murder.
"Now I'm thinking it could have been me. It could have been me."
Rankin was charged with robbery, murder and weapons under disability.
Akron police are looking for two other suspects believed to be involved in Carter's murder.
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