What started as a tense confrontation tied to social media ended in one of Dayton’s most devastating acts of violence, leaving a neighborhood shattered and a family mourning the loss of a child.
Residents along West Fairview Avenue remember the warning signs. There were angry voices, headlights cutting through the dark, and an uneasy feeling that lingered long after the confrontation ended. At the time, no one realized those moments were the prelude to a deadly return.
DAYTON, Ohio — Authorities say an online dispute spiraled into fatal retaliation when two brothers allegedly opened fire on multiple homes, killing 12-year-old Isabella Carlos as she slept inside.
According to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, Antawan Benson and Javen Conner confronted a woman on the evening of August 22, 2024, over a social media post involving a relative. While officials have not revealed the post’s content, the argument became intense enough for police to be called. The brothers left before officers arrived, and the situation appeared to have ended.
It hadn’t.
Just after midnight, investigators say the brothers returned to the same street armed with high-powered rifles—an AK-style weapon and an AR-15. Prosecutors allege the pair fired dozens of rounds at three different homes on West Fairview Avenue, spraying bullets into residences where families were inside.
One of those rounds struck Isabella Carlos. Despite efforts to save her, the 12-year-old later died from her injuries, sending shockwaves through the community.
Following months of investigation, Benson and Conner were arrested and formally charged on September 9, 2024. In December 2025, a jury found both men guilty on multiple felony charges, according to court records reported by WKEF.
Antawan Benson was convicted of:
Two counts of murder
Three counts of improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation
Three counts of felonious assault
One count of aggravated menacing
Two counts of having weapons while under disability
One count of discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises
Javen Conner was convicted of:
Two counts of murder
Three counts of improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation
Three counts of felonious assault
One count of aggravated menacing
One count of discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises
Prosecutors described the shooting as a calculated act fueled by rage, emphasizing that neither the victims nor the homes targeted had anything to do with the initial argument.
A Community Changed Forever
While the convictions bring legal closure, they offer little comfort to Isabella’s family or the neighbors who still live with the memory of that night. What began as an online disagreement ended with irreversible consequences, highlighting how quickly anger—when paired with firearms—can turn deadly.
For West Fairview Avenue, the echoes of gunfire have faded, but the loss remains, marking a permanent scar on a once-quiet street and a tragic reminder of how fragile peace can be.