Two people charged in Ohio teenager’s death this week

Watch a previous report on this case in the video player above.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Two people who allegedly tried to cover up the fatal shooting of a teenager during a gun purchase gone wrong are due in court Monday.

Raymor A. Dumas, 44, and Genee N. Dumas, 40, each face one count of third-degree tampering with evidence and fifth-degree obstruction of justice in connection with the death of 17-year-old Imperial Stewart in late September 2023.

Body camera footage released by police indicates that Genee Dumas tried to destroy her daughter’s cellphone because the girl was dating Michael Bowles, one of the two people accused of murder in the Stewart case.

Body camera footage allegedly shows Genee Dumas slamming the phone against a desk at her daughter’s school while her daughter screams “keep breaking it” as police tell Genee Dumas to stop. The daughter, a minor at the time, was also arrested and charged. At the time, defense attorneys said Dumas knew nothing about Stewart’s murder and that prosecutors were overstating the charges against her.

The exact circumstances of the charges against Raymor Dumas are not known.

The case began when Stewart was reported missing on September 20, 2023; his body was found on October 3 in northeast Columbus near Agler and Sunbury Roads.

According to police, Stewart was trying to buy a gun from Michael Bowles when the 16-year-old suspect tried to rob him. Police said that’s when Michael Bowles allegedly shot Stewart.

In addition to the Dumases, the following persons are accused in this case:

• Michael Bowles, 20 – one count of aggravated murder, two counts of murder and one count each of aggravated robbery, desecration of a corpse and battery while in possession of a weapon. No trial date has been set yet, according to online court records.
• 16 years old (at time of arrest) male – Charged with murder and obstruction of justice
• Tywisha Peterson, 40 – one count of obstruction of justice. She is the mother of Michael and Mi’quel Bowles. A court date has not yet been scheduled.
• Mi’quel D. Bowles, 19, pleaded guilty to third-degree obstruction of justice on May 17 and was sentenced to three years in prison and two years probation.
• Michael R. Bowles Jr., 37 – one count of tampering with evidence. He pleaded guilty in December 2023; sentencing is currently scheduled for August 23.
• 17-year-old (at time of arrest) female – one count each of obstruction of official business, tampering with evidence and resisting arrest. She admitted the obstruction charge on February 22.