A Kentucky homicide investigation took a disturbing turn after authorities discovered that 41-year-old April Barlow Celio had been pregnant when she was killed and that her unborn child was no longer in her womb.
Celio was found dead inside a home on George Martin Drive in Pineville on Sept. 23. Police and the Bell County Coroner’s Office determined that she had been the victim of a homicide.
The following day, investigators learned through the medical examination that Celio had been pregnant. The state medical examiner found no fetus in her womb, and investigators later recovered what authorities believe were fetal remains while processing the crime scene.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed Celio’s cause of death or provided details about how the unborn child was removed. They also have not released a motive for the killing.
Suspect arrested more than 250 miles away
Investigators identified DeMarcus Kenneth Johnson-Wright as a suspect during the investigation. Authorities said he has an extensive violent criminal history and several outstanding felony warrants in Tennessee.
A Bell County District Court issued warrants for Johnson-Wright on Sept. 25 accusing him of first-degree robbery and kidnapping. Additional warrants for murder involving domestic violence and tampering with physical evidence were issued on Sept. 30.
That same day, the U.S. Marshals Service, working with local law enforcement, located Johnson-Wright at a home on Timber Court Drive in Clarksville, Tennessee.
He was arrested there later that day. Investigators also searched the residence and recovered materials they said were related to the Kentucky case.
Clarksville is more than 250 miles from Pineville, where Celio was found dead.
Johnson-Wright was booked into the Montgomery County Detention Center in Tennessee and remains there while awaiting extradition to Kentucky. The investigation is still ongoing.
Celio remembered as a mother of three
Celio’s death has left her three children without their mother. Her obituary identifies her as the daughter of Michael and Teresa Barlow and lists three surviving children: Kaden Alexander Iracheta, Alaina Sofia Celio and Nicolas Antonio Celio.
Family members have also been seeking help with funeral and family expenses following her death.
A memorial service for Celio was held Oct. 5 at Barbourville Funeral Home, with burial following at Big Jim Cemetery.
Authorities have not publicly explained what relationship, if any, existed between Celio and Johnson-Wright. Officials have also not disclosed a possible motive or provided further details about the robbery and kidnapping allegations.
For now, Johnson-Wright faces criminal charges in connection with Celio’s death, but the allegations have not been proven in court. The case remains under investigation as authorities work to establish the full circumstances surrounding the killing.
