Police file tampering charges in shooting death of 18-year-old woman in Trotwood

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A 20-year-old man is facing tampering charges in the Tuesday shooting death of an 18-year-old woman inside a Trotwood apartment.

Donte Lamar Cotton Jr. was charged Thursday afternoon with two felony counts of tampering with evidence.

The gunshot victim was identified Wednesday as Ja’Niyah Hardy by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.

Donte Cotton Jr.

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

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Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Trotwood police responded to a shooting reported around 3:15 p.m. in an apartment at 5530 Autumn Woods Drive, west of Salem Avenue, according to the Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center.

Hardy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Cotton was arrested Tuesday at the apartment.

The investigation revealed that Hardy and Cotton, who both lived in the apartment, were involved in a domestic dispute, the Trotwood Police Department announced Thursday.

Cotton is held on $50,000 bail in the Montgomery County Jail.

The shooting remains under investigation. Anyone with information can contact the Trotwood Police Department at 937-837-7771 or Miami Valley Crime Stoppers at www.miamivalleycrimestoppers.com or 937-222-STOP (7867).

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