On Sunday, a 22-year-old newlywed, Keris Riebel, was killed by a machete-wielding guy who entered a Dollar Tree business in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. According to Upper Sandusky Police, Riebel worked at the store at 1120 Wyandot Ave. at 4:25 p.m.
The man, identified as 27-year-old Bethel Bekele, entered the store holding a machete. Bekele allegedly approached Riebel and struck her multiple times with the weapon, killing her.
Officers responded to reports of a man with a machete inside the business who had attacked an employee. When they arrived, Riebel had already died. The suspect had fled the area, but authorities were able to locate him in the 100 block of South Fifth Street, where he was sitting in a parked automobile near the Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office.
When cops approached, Bekele surrendered, detained, and charged with murder.
At this moment, the motivation for the attack is unknown, and authorities are looking into whether Riebel and Bekele know each other. The incident shocked the neighborhood, with one resident saying, “It’s terrible to see something like this in Upper Sandusky because this is a wonderful community.”
Riebel’s family is mourning her death, with her aunt starting a GoFundMe to help pay burial expenses and lost income for Riebel’s husband, Jordan Riebel, who is taking time off to grieve.
Riebel had recently graduated from college with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and was eager to begin her career. According to her aunt, Riebel and Jordan also looked forward to having children and a puppy and starting their new lives together.
Their future, however, was “torn away from both of them in a matter of seconds.”
Riebel was recalled as “a beautiful spirit with a faith-filled heart” by Wynford Local Schools, where she graduated in 2019. Her generosity to everyone she met was genuine, and her smile was unforgettable. Keris was gone far too soon and will live on in the hearts of the Wynford community.
” The death of such a brilliant and promising young woman is extremely tragic, and our hearts go out to her husband, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.”
It is unknown whether Bekele has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
