An Ohio woman has been sentenced to life in prison for her role in the murder of her then-girlfriend’s 8-year-old son. The sentencing comes after months of investigation and heartbreak following the young boy’s death.
On June 28, 2024, the body of Martonio Wilder, 8, was discovered hidden in the attic of his home on Olmstead Avenue in the Milo-Grogan neighborhood of Columbus. The child had been wrapped in a sleeping bag and stuffed into a trash bag.
Authorities say Johnna Lowe, 24, was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 15 years. She pleaded guilty to murder and gross abuse of a corpse in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court.
An autopsy revealed that the boy died from “asphyxia by anterior neck compression.” The medical examiner noted severe signs of long-term abuse. Martonio weighed only 35 pounds at the time of his death and showed evidence of malnutrition, dehydration, and loss of muscle mass.
Our team viewed Martonio’s autopsy records this week. He appeared to have suffered severe head injuries and looked extremely malnourished. @wsyx6 @fox28columbus pic.twitter.com/QshJCF0HLV
— Kate Siefert (@KateWSYX6) July 10, 2024
Tragically, the abuse wasn’t limited to the final days. Prosecutors allege a pattern of mistreatment that included physical beatings, starvation, and isolation. He was reportedly locked in a closet and denied food, often beaten with objects like crutches or extension cords.
According to reports, two days before the boy’s body was found, Lowe admitted to locking him in a coat closet after beating him, calling it a form of “unusual punishment.”
Franklin County officials also revealed that Martonio’s mother, LaShanda Delores Wilder, 33, had been under the watch of child services since May 2022. Despite several interventions and at least 13 police visits to the home, the abuse continued unchecked.
Relatives of the victim described Martonio as a vibrant, loving child who “just wanted to be loved.” His great-aunt and cousin spoke emotionally outside the courthouse, expressing frustration that warning signs were ignored.
“He was always being punished,” one cousin said. “And when he ‘stole,’ it was always food. That boy was hungry.”
The case has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of child welfare services and law enforcement’s response. Family members believe that more could have been done to save Martonio’s life.
After the initial missing persons report, both Lowe and Wilder reportedly fled the home with Wilder’s other two children. Investigators only discovered the boy’s body after bringing in a cadaver dog, prompting a search warrant and immediate arrests.
Lowe, who had been in custody for 342 days before sentencing, will now begin her life sentence. Wilder, meanwhile, is scheduled to appear in court on July 15, where she faces related charges.
