James F. Toothman (Hamilton County Detention Center)
A 55-year-old blind man in Ohio was arrested over the weekend for allegedly killing his 65-year-old live-in girlfriend by sitting on her head and breaking her neck. James F. Toothman was taken into custody on Sunday and charged with one count of first-degree murder in the brutal slaying of Jeni Russell, court records reviewed by Law&Crime show.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Newport, Kentucky, Fox affiliate WXIX, officers with the Cheviot Police Department and firefighters with the Cheviot Fire Department on Nov. 5 responded to an emergency call in regards to an unresponsive adult female at an apartment complex located on Lovell Avenue, which is about 10 miles outside of Cincinnati.
Upon arriving at the apartment, first responders located the victim — later identified as Russell — who was facedown on a couch in the living room, Cincinnati CBS affiliate WKRC reported. She was transported to Mercy West Hospital in Cincinnati for treatment but was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the facility.
WKRC further reported that Toothman is legally blind.
CPD officers reportedly wrote in their report that while at the couple’s residence, they overheard Toothman make an “unsolicited” comment about Russell’s death being his fault because he had “sat on her head,” WXIX reported. A nurse on duty at the hospital where Russell was taken reportedly told police that she also heard Toothman taking the blame for Russell’s death and saying he had “sat” on her.
An investigator with the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office who observed Russell’s body reportedly told CPD detectives that the victim appeared to have suffered a broken neck. Police determined that Toothman “purposely” killed Russell, per WXIX.
Court records reviewed by Law&Crime showed that both Toothman and Russell have previously been arrested multiple times on domestic violence charges over altercations involving each other. Toothman was charged with domestic violence assault against Russell in 2018, 2019, and 2021. Those charges were all dropped due to a lack of cooperation from Russell in pursuing charges.
Affidavits obtained by WXIX provided additional details about some of those incidents.
In his 2018 arrest, Toothman allegedly pushed Russell to the ground and was “smothering her” by holding a mattress over her to prevent her from breathing.
As recently as March 8, CPD officers responded to their home and found Toothman with visible wounds on his chest and atop his head.
“He stated that Russell struck him over the head and stabbed him with unknown objects,” the document reportedly states.
Russell was subsequently arrested and charged with domestic violence assault. The Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office served Toothman with two subpoenas to provide testimony against Russell, but the subpoenas were reportedly sent back because the couple’s apartment was discovered to be vacant. The charge against Russell was subsequently dismissed.
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