Man Kills ‘Second Mother’ Before Setting House on Fire, Then Returns as Volunteer Firefighter

A 22-year-old man is accused of killing a woman he reportedly called his “second mother,” setting her house on fire and then returning to the scene as a volunteer firefighter.

On April 10, at about 12:29 p.m., the Darke County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call and quickly dispatched units to 2723 Zumbrum Road near Ansonia, Ohio. Crews from the Ansonia Fire Department, Ansonia Rescue, and multiple other emergency agencies also responded.

When firefighters arrived, they found the home fully engulfed in flames. As they worked the scene, they discovered the body of a deceased woman inside the residence.

The victim was identified as 50-year-old Ericka M. Kramer, a cheer coach with Ansonia Schools.

On April 12, Darke County detectives arrested Peyton W. Beam, 22, in connection with her death and the fire.

To avoid suspicion, Beam reportedly responded to the scene as a volunteer firefighter.

According to courtroom reporting by WHIO, prosecutors said Beam set the fire after he shot Kramer.

Prosecutors alleged that Beam had done farm work at Kremer’s home since he was a teenager. Beam killed Kramer on April 10, prosecutors told the court during his first court appearance. “She was shot twice in the back and twice in the head.”

Beam later set the house on fire after dousing Kramer’s body with gasoline. He then returned to the home as a volunteer firefighter with the Ansonia Fire Department to help them extinguish the flames.

Beam’s defense attorney told the court that his client considered Kramer a “second mother,” WHIO reported.

Kramer was transported to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office for a forensic exam and testing, a press release from the Darke County Sheriff’s Office said.

“Based on a high degree of probability, the victim is believed to be the resident of the home. It has been confirmed that Kramer was in the home minutes before the fire,” the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities added that deputies, the coroner’s investigator and the Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Office responded to the scene.

Darke County Coroner Dr. Susan Brown ruled the manner of death a homicide. A multidisciplinary team of investigators has worked on the case over the last three days, authorities said.

Beam was charged with aggravated murder and aggravated arson and his bond was set at $5 million.

This case remains under investigation.

Kramer’s obituary described her as kind and selfless. “She was the kind of person who would give the shirt off her back without hesitation, always putting others before herself. Her warmth, generosity, and genuine spirit made the world a better place, and words truly fall short in capturing just how remarkable she was,” family members said.

A graduate of Union City High School, Class of 1994, Kramer had an “unbreakable bond with her daughter, Abigail.”

Her husband, David W. Kramer, whom she married on June 16, 2001, died on July 16, 2022.

As a cheer coach, “she uplifted, encouraged, and inspired young people she worked with, leaving a lasting impression on so many hearts.”

A celebration of Kramer's life will be held at 3:00 p.m. on April 18, 2026, at Tribute Funeral Homes, Greenville Campus.