Man accused in death of pregnant woman, 19, was convicted of assaulting her

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A man accused of killing a 19-year-old pregnant woman received a massive bond Tuesday morning in Franklin County Municipal Court.

Judge Jim O’Grady issued Devon Blair $11 million in total bond amounts for the alleged fatal assault of Brooke Devinney, who died on Sunday. According to court records, Blair is charged with murder, though Columbus Police Sgt. Joe Albert said additional charges could be added to the case.

Police said at 7:30 a.m. on June 16, a text was received by 911 dispatchers about a domestic violence attack near the 4600 block of Parkwick Drive in the Riverbend area of Columbus. A criminal affidavit said a woman had texted that her sister-in-law, Devinney, was being assaulted by Blair.

When officers got to the scene, they found Devinney in the home. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition but was later pronounced dead at 8:45 a.m.

Devinney's unborn child was also pronounced dead four minutes later. She was 14 weeks into her pregnancy, according to a prosecuting attorney at Tuesday's arraignment.

Blair reportedly fled the scene and evaded capture, but was arrested near the intersection of Cottrell Drive and Cottrell Court in the Georgian Heights neighborhood.

Just four days prior, Blair was arrested on charges of assault, aggravated menacing and two counts of domestic violence when police said Devinney approached an officer in the 4200 block of Climb Road. She told police she was assaulted in her vehicle by Blair on June 12 at a traffic signal on the I-270 exit ramp at Georgesville Road.

Devinney reportedly told police Blair punched her in the eye and hit her in the back of the head after she was attempting to pull off the highway to go to her parents' house.

She told police Blair threatened to “bash in her head,” and “kill her in this b****.” She also stated that Blair had been victimized previously, including being stabbed.

According to court records, Blair pleaded guilty to one domestic violence charge and one assault charge on May 16, resulting in strangulation and felonious assault charges being dropped.

Those charges stem from an incident in December in which Blair broke Devinney’s windshield, punched her repeatedly, held her at knifepoint while naked, placed her in a chokehold and threatened to kill her. When police arrived, he fled the scene, and punched and bit an officer before being apprehended a short time later.

Court records showed he was out on bond awaiting sentencing, but had that bond revoked on May 31 for violating its conditions. During Tuesday's arraignment hearing, Blair repeatedly interrupted the court proceedings with expletive-laced comments, while the prosecution asked for a minimum $6 million bond.

"I'm not guilty, just give me a bond," Blair said.

Judge O'Grady issued a $10 million bond for the murder charge and a $1 million bond for the domestic violence, assault and menacing charges from June 12.

If you or a loved one is experiencing domestic violence, visit LSS Choices or call 614-224-4663 (HOME), or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, text BEGIN to 88788, or click here.