Strangulation ruled in death of woman in Old West End

Man charged with murder is arrested in Cincinnati

Jazmon Hoskins, 21, was found dead in an apartment at 3122 Parkwood Ave. on the outskirts of the Old West End.

Jazmon Hoskins, 21, was found dead in an apartment at 3122 Parkwood Ave. on the outskirts of the Old West End.

The woman found dead on Thursday inside an apartment she rented on the outskirts of the Old West End died of asphyxiation by strangulation, the Lucas County Coroner's Office reported Friday.

Thomas Ellison, Jr., 24, arrested in Cincinnati, is charged with one count of murder in Ms. Hoskins' death.

Dr. Maneesha Pandey, county deputy coroner, said Jazmon Hoskins, 21, had been dead for several hours when her body was found inside 3122 Parkwood Ave.

Thomas Ellison, Jr., 24, the father of Ms. Hoskins' young daughter, was arrested in downtown Cincinnati late Thursday by U.S. Marshals. Toledo police have charged him with one count of murder, but have not commented on a motive.

The suspect was being held in the Hamilton County jail late Friday, awaiting extradition to Lucas County.

Authorities are reporting that a man who claimed to be Mr. Ellison called police at 10:28 a.m. Thursday and said he killed his girlfriend.

On Sunday, Ms. Hoskins friends and family will gather outside the central Toledo duplex where she lived for a 7:30 p.m. candlelight vigil, said Ijonte Hall, 21, who called the victim her best friend.

"Jazmon was amazing," said Ms. Hall, a Bowling Green State University student. She said she met Ms. Hoskins during their junior year at Bowsher High School while working on a class project. "Ever since then we were one. She had a major impact on my life. I don't know what I'm going to do without her."

Ms. Hoskins was enrolled at the University of Toledo, said university spokesman Meghan Cunningham. She said Ms. Hoskins had not yet declared a major.

Ms. Hall said the victim worked two jobs to provide for her daughter, who she "lived for." The young girl will be 2 in October, Ms. Hall said.

Ms. Hall said the victim and Mr. Ellison were not dating, but that he was the father of the young girl. She added that Ms. Hoskins was letting Mr. Ellison stay with her for a short time.

"She was an amazing person and an amazing mother," Ms. Hall said. "Her niceness led to her demise.

"... She didn't deserve what happened to her," Ms. Hall said. "Nobody does. My concern is the baby. Now she has no mother and you don't have a father either because he's going to jail."

On Thursday, officials from Toledo were traveling to Cincinnati to pick up Mr. Ellison so he could be booked into the Lucas County jail, police said.

Ms. Hall, who lives in Bowling Green, said she found out about her best friend's death when she received a call from another friend.

She wouldn't believe it, she said. She got into her car and drove to Ms. Hoskins grandmother's house, but found no one at home.

From the front porch, Ms. Hall could see inside. She noticed a picture, she said, of Ms. Hoskins and her siblings.

"I broke down," Ms. Hall said. "I sat on the porch for awhile before I could get up. I can't believe it. I can't believe she's gone."

Contact Taylor Dungjen at: tdungjen@theblade.com, 419-724-6054, or on Twitter @tdungjen_Blade.