Crime And Law

Person of interest in Park Layne death case in custody, charged with violation of protection order

PARK LAYNE, Clark County — A woman was found dead at a home on Weinland Street and a person of interest was arrested in Hancock County, Indiana Tuesday night in connection to the case, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

Clark County Chief Deputy Jeff Meyer told News Center 7 Noel Coles Jr., 48, was stopped by a Hancock County sheriff’s deputy after the deputy noticed Coles’ car from an alert sent to law enforcement while deputies investigated the suspicious death of Jacqueline Coles. Hancock County deputies arrested Noel Coles Jr. on suspicion of violating a temporary protection order that was filed by Jacqueline Coles in Clark County, Meyer said.

According to Clark County Municipal Court Records, Noel Coles Jr. was charged with three counts of violating a temporary protection order or consent agreement on Wednesday. He is currently in custody at the Clark County Jail and is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday morning at 10:30 a.m.

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Clark County deputies were called to a house in the 100 block of Weinland Street just before 8 a.m. Tuesday to check the welfare of a person at the house. That’s when deputies discovered Jacqueline Coles, 43, of Park Layne, dead inside, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and Clark County Coroner’s Office.

A 911 caller reported he was on the phone with Coles, who lives at the house, when he heard screaming and the phone disconnected, dispatch records show. Deputies responded, found a broken glass door, and entered the house.

Crime scene tape surrounded the house into Tuesday afternoon as Ohio BCI agents and deputies continued their investigation.

Two different lockdowns were reported at Clark County schools Tuesday. An “active shelter in place” was in place Tuesday at Tecumseh Local Schools buildings, which is near the investigation in Park Layne.

The Springfield-Clark Career Technology Center also operated under a shelter in place Tuesday due to “a potential threat to one of our students.”

Students within the Tecumseh district and at the CTC were reported as safe, according to statements provided by spokespersons.

Reynolds said children are part of the ongoing investigation on Weinland, however the children are safe and with other family members.

Noel Coles Jr. is currently in custody in the Hancock County Jail, and Meyer said he hopes the can have him extradited back to Clark County late this week or early next week.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story reported Noel Coles Jr. was arrested in Henry County, Indiana. Clark County Sheriff’s Deputies issued an update Wednesday saying he was arrested in Hancock County, not Henry County, as they had previously told News Center 7.

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