Woman’s body found burning in the woods in Ohio, two suspects charged

Two people have been charged with murder after they allegedly killed a woman in an apartment, then set her body on fire in the woods, Ohio police said.

Around 11 p.m. June 14, deputies were called to the woods near Jackson Township, Ohio, where the fire department had responded to a report of a possible brush fire, WBNS reported.

When firefighters arrived, they found the remains of Jenay Crawley, 23, which had been set on fire, according to WBNS.

Authorities said they believed Crawley died in a different area than where she was found, WBNS reported.

An autopsy by the Franklin County Coroner’s Office determined a preliminary cause of death as strangulation, according to WBNS.

Crawley’s family reported her missing on June 14 when she was last known to be heading to an apartment on Station Road in Ohio, WBNS reported.

Video surveillance of the area showed several people of interest in the investigation, and a witness identified Higle Mire, 23, as one of the people in the video, according to WBNS.

According to police, Mire admitted during an interview in June he was in the apartment on Station Road when Crawley was killed, WBNS reported.

More said he held Crawley’s 1-year-old daughter and played loud music to ensure any sounds of the incident weren’t heard, according to WBNS.

He also allegedly admitted to purchasing items to dispose of her body, including a gas can, gasoline, bedsheets, a grill lighter and charcoal fluid, WBNS reported.

Mire also allegedly told authorities he helped place Crawley’s body into a vehicle and went to the location where her body was found, according to WBNS.

Police say he doused her body with fluids and set her on fire, WBNS reported.

In July, Mire was indicted on charges of aggravated murder, murder, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse, according to WBNS.

He pleaded not guilty and remains in custody at the Franklin County Jail, WBNS reported.

A second person, Tiffany Reid, 25, was booked into the Franklin County Jail on a charge of aggravated murder in connection to the case, according to WBNS.