Pregnant Mother of Three Found Murdered, Unborn Child Missing
Police identified a suspect with a violent criminal history and outstanding warrants in connection with the case.
A pregnant mother of three was found murdered in her Kentucky home, and authorities discovered the next day that her unborn child was missing from her womb. April Barlow Celio, 41, was discovered deceased in her Pineville residence on September 23. Medical examiners subsequently determined she had been pregnant, but the fetus was no longer present.
Investigators returned to Celio’s home and recovered what they believe to be fetal remains, according to police statements.
DeMarcus Johnson-Wright, identified as a suspect, has an extensive violent criminal history and several outstanding violent felony warrants from Tennessee, police said. The connection between Johnson-Wright and Celio has not been detailed.
Initially, police issued a warrant for kidnapping and robbery on September 25. This was followed by warrants for murder and tampering with physical evidence on September 30.
Johnson-Wright was located at a residence in Clarksville, Tennessee, approximately 250 miles from the crime scene. Following his arrest, a search of the Tennessee home yielded materials police believe are related to the case.
Authorities have not yet specified the cause of death for Celio or her unborn child. Johnson-Wright's charges include murder, and court records indicate previous warrants for aggravated robbery, kidnapping, felony possession of a firearm, and domestic violence.
Celio is survived by her three children. Her sister, Amanda de Paz, initiated a GoFundMe campaign to support them, stating that they are left with "questions, memories, and the heartbreaking reality that their mother’s life ended in violence."
Johnson-Wright was booked into the Montgomery County Detention Center in Tennessee and is awaiting extradition to Kentucky. Officials have not released further details regarding the circumstances of Celio's murder.