STOW — The Stow community came together at the Stow Community & Senior Center to honor the life of Latoia Philpott, a mother who was killed in her home last month.
Philpott and her boyfriend, Benjamin Asiedu, were found in her home with fatal gunshot wounds. Philpott was shot multiple times, and her death was ruled a homicide. Asiedu died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and his death was ruled a suicide.
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According to the Summit County Sheriff's Office, Asiedu was a sheriff's deputy assigned to the jail.
The city of Stow wanted the community to support one another as they prayed for the victim’s family and learned more about who Philpott was as a person and a mother.
“I see a lot of people with fear and distress in their face, but what I learned this past Tuesday was she wouldn't want it that way,” said Mayor John Pribonic.
In the community, she was known as the proud owner of Middlebury Kids Early Learning Center, and to her family, she was a mother of five.
“She loved her children dearly and worked hard to make sure each one of them were well taken care of. If she walked into a room that was too quiet, she quickly changed the atmosphere, her spirit lives and she is loved,” Pribonic said.
Her daughter shared personal stories with the crowd, making them smile while remembering funny moments they shared together.
“She's goofy, she's funny, she's loving, she's caring and she's the best mom ever,” Philpott’s daughter said.
She also pointed out the reason she chose the photo that was shared with the community days after Philpott’s death, giving the crowd goosebumps as she explained the cross that she never noticed on the picture.
“My aunt pointed out the cross on the photo, and I looked at this photo 100 times before she pointed that out to me and never noticed. And the day she pointed it out to me, I was talking to God asking Him can you please just let me know my mom's okay,” Philpott’s daughter said.
Philpott leaves the community with memories of her passion for children and helping people.
“One thing that became very clear as I got to know more about Latoia, was she loved to travel and she loved to be free,” Pribonic said.
In honor of Latoia the Stow community asks everyone to follow in her footsteps by doing random acts of kindness— something she will always be remembered for.
