October 20, 2026
Aggravated Murder Charge Filed in Atwater Township Shooting Death
Headline card by The Night Desk
Aggravated Murder Charge Filed in Atwater Township Shooting Death
A Tuesday morning shooting in Atwater Township has become an aggravated murder case.
The Portage County Sheriff's Office says a woman was shot at a home on state Route 183 in Atwater Township on the morning of Oct. 20. Deputies responded to a 911 call around 9:27 a.m. and found her wounded; she later died.
Fled the scene, caught on I-77
The suspect fled in a vehicle, and the search quickly went regional. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Portage County investigators relayed details from the scene to the Patrol's Intel Unit, which used automatic license plate reader history to track the suspect's prior travel. Ground troopers and the Patrol's Aviation unit located the vehicle traveling south on Interstate 77 in Guernsey County.
At approximately 11:01 a.m., troopers conducted a traffic stop, and the suspect was taken into custody without incident.
The charge
The sheriff's office has filed an aggravated murder charge against Travis C. Lovett, 21, whose last known address is in Florida, according to Portage County Municipal Court records in Ravenna. The complaint alleges Lovett "shot the victim with a firearm multiple times."
Sheriff's Detective Bureau Capt. Lew Finsen said the shooting took place at around 9:30 a.m. The sheriff's office is arranging for Lovett's return to Portage County, and investigators were expected to question him in Guernsey County later in the day.
Schools locked down, victim not yet named
While the manhunt was underway, the Waterloo and Southeast school districts were placed on a soft lockdown. The lockdown was lifted once Lovett was in custody.
The victim's family has been notified, but her identity will not be released until after Lovett is questioned. The sheriff's office said more information is expected in a media release.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Portage County Sheriff's Office at 330-296-5100.
This story is developing. The Night Desk will update as the sheriff's office releases more information.
Source: Record-Courier, WKYC (NBC Cleveland)
Source: Record-Courier — read the original report
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