“Person of interest” in Lima murder case eludes authorities

LIMA – Law enforcement officers in Allen County executed a search warrant Sunday at a Lima-area apartment complex looking for a person involved in a deadly shooting last week.

The person wanted for questioning in the shooting, Javin Mayo, was not located during the search and remains at large.

Nick Roach, 31, of Lima, was found dead outside his home at 438 S. Kenilworth Ave. on the evening of Nov. 26. found lying down. Roach suffered from a gunshot wound to the abdomen and died a short time later at a local hospital.

Police received information about the incident that led them to identify Mayo, 43, of Lima, as a person of interest, according to a statement released Monday by Lima Police Detective Steve Stechschulte.

Officers observed a vehicle associated with Mayo at the Gatehouse Apartments on North Cable Road and obtained a search warrant for one of the apartments to look for Mayo and evidence possibly related to the crime, Stechschulte said.

Because the apartment complex is outside of town, the Allen County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team assisted in serving the search warrant. It was learned that Mayo had left the apartment shortly before LPD officers arrived.

Mayo is under the supervision of the Ohio Adult Parole Authority after serving a prison sentence in 2021 for carrying a concealed weapon, possessing a weapon while under disability and possessing firearms in a motor vehicle.

He was also charged in 2007 with aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, possession of a weapon while under disability and possession of crack cocaine. In that case, he pleaded guilty to reduced charges.

Mayo is still at large and remains interested in Roach’s death.

Anyone with information about Mayo’s whereabouts is asked to contact Lima police at 419-227-4444, CrimeStoppers at 419-229-7867 or Stechschulte at 419-221-5181.