MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — The Butler County Coroner's Office has identified the woman found dead inside a vehicle Thursday afternoon in Middletown. The victim is 43-year-old Samantha Victoria Kelly of Middletown. According to the coroner's office, Kelly died from a gunshot wound. Her death has been ruled a homicide. Middletown Police responded to the 4000 block of Tytus Avenue around 4:35 p.m. Thursday, November 5, to conduct a welfare check. Officers discovered Kelly inside a vehicle with fatal injuries. Following an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death, police arrested 51-year-old Darwin Malcolm. Malcolm is charged with murder, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse. Police have not released a possible motive or disclosed the relationship, if any, between Malcolm and Kelly. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective T. Ballinger at 513-425-7741, Middletown Police dispatch at 513-425-7701, or terry.ballinger@cityofmiddletown.org.

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