12-Year-Old Girl Killed After Gunfire Strikes Home Following Social Media Dispute, Police Say
A 24-year-old Ohio man has been sentenced to more than six decades in prison for his role in a shooting that targeted multiple homes and resulted in the death of a sleeping 12-year-old girl, following a dispute linked to a social media post.
Antawan Benson was sentenced Monday to 67 years in prison for the shooting death of seventh grader Isabella Carlos, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. The fatal incident occurred last year in Dayton and deeply impacted the local community.
Benson and his brother, Javen Conner, were convicted earlier this month in separate trials. The charges included murder, discharging a firearm into a habitation, felonious assault, and aggravated menacing. Prosecutors said the case stemmed from an escalating conflict that began online.
According to court records, Benson and Conner approached a woman sitting in her vehicle in Trotwood on August 22, 2024, to confront her about a social media post involving their cousin. Another woman and several children were also present in the car at the time. No one was injured during that initial encounter.
Hours later, at approximately 12:30 a.m. on August 23, 2024, prosecutors said the brothers carried out a retaliatory act by firing dozens of rounds into three separate homes using an AK-47 and an AR-15. Inside one of the homes was Isabella Carlos, who was asleep in her bedroom.
Police responded to the scene after reports of gunfire, and first responders pronounced Isabella dead at the home. The brothers were indicted roughly two weeks after the shooting as investigators gathered evidence and witness statements.
During sentencing, Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Gerald Parker addressed the court and spoke directly to Benson, noting that evidence suggested Isabella did not die instantly. According to testimony, she had moved from where she was sleeping and was found partially on and off the bed, indicating she may have suffered before succumbing to her injuries.
Judge Parker described the circumstances as “gut-wrenching” and said he wanted Benson to understand the reality of the harm caused. The judge also criticized social media posts allegedly shared by Benson and Conner after the shooting, which included images of spent ammunition magazines. He described the posts as an example of “false bravado.”
Isabella’s obituary described her as a “beautiful and intelligent young lady.” During the sentencing hearing, her aunt, Donnetta Dewberry, spoke about the lasting impact of Isabella’s death on the family.
She shared that Isabella had been sleeping and preparing for school the next day, and that her family will never experience milestones such as seeing her attend prom, go on her first date, or grow into adulthood. Dewberry also addressed Benson directly, stating that the actions taken could never be undone, while expressing compassion for both families involved.
Javen Conner is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8.
