A Toledo mother said her daughter, a journalist for cleveland.com, did not deserve to be hurt after police discovered two bodies at a Perrysburg Township mobile home park.
“She’s beautiful and no one should have ever hurt her. And that’s all I’m going to say,” Joanne Ullman told The Blade.
Ms. Ullman identified herself as the mother of Nikki Delamotte, 30, who is listed as the arts and culture reporter at cleveland.com, according to her Facebook page.
Ms. UIlman’s comments come as detectives investigate the discovery. Police identified the other decedent as Robert J. Delamotte, 67, of Perrysburg Township.
Ms. Delamotte was reported missing after visiting a relative at the park, and Ms. Delamotte’s mother requested a welfare check at the park. She told police she spotted her daughter’s car on the property with her wallet and phone inside.
Police responded at 9:30 a.m. Monday at a residence at Friendly Village mobile home park, Perrysburg Township police Lt. Matt Gazarek said.
Officers found the bodies immediately upon entering the home in question, and investigators Monday afternoon were seen working at a mobile home at 159 Blackwolf Dr.
The mobile home park is just north of the Ohio Turnpike off of Oregon Road.
Ms. Ullman’s boyfriend, Matt Johnston, told The Blade he and Ms. Ullman were at the crime scene Monday, but did not offer further details.
Ms. Delamotte recently visited Perrysburg Township to find an uncle with whom she lost touch. After her parents divorced, she didn't communicate much with her father's side of the family.
She found her uncle walking along the road in October and talked with him. They planned to meet again Sunday.
Her mother told cleveland.com an officer informed her Ms. Delamotte had died of gunshot wounds.
Township police and Ohio’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation are investigating.
Many people took to social media Monday to post about Ms. Delamotte, saying, “Your passing is such a loss for Cleveland, for journalism, for young writers, for all the people whose lives you’ve been a witness to and all the people who were lucky to hear your voice,” and “You were the nicest and most genuine person I have ever met. Thank you so much for everything you have done for Cleveland, you will be greatly missed.”
Cleveland.com Editor Chris Quinn released a statement Monday calling Ms. Delamotte a tireless reporter.
“Nikki represented the highest ideals of what we do, the very best of who we are,” the statement read. “She told the stories of people our audience would not otherwise meet. More than anything, she was kind, in an age when we need kindness. She never failed to leave an impression. Our hearts ache tonight at the loss of our dear friend and colleague.”
Ms. Delamotte’s life and culture editor, Mike Norman, said there’s a huge hole left in the newsroom.
“We're just devastated,” Mr. Norman said. “Nikki was one of the most beloved members of our staff. She didn't really need an editor; she was one of those people who was her own engine. I just felt honored to help her however I could. It made me feel good to contribute to anything she did because she was doing such great work.”
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, whose wife, Connie Schultz, used to work at the Cleveland Plain Dealer, expressed his condolences on Twitter.
Connie and I are heartbroken to learn the news of Nikki’s death. Cleveland will miss her voice and her work to shine a light on what makes our city so special. -SB https://t.co/G8nWtwhkXI
— Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) November 13, 2018
Ms. Delamotte moved from the Toledo area to attend Cleveland State University. She also worked at Allied Integrated Marketing in Cleveland before becoming a reporter.
She is the author of 100 Things to Do in Cleveland Before You Die.
Most residents in the mobile home community said the area is fairly quiet and police are seldom seen.
Jim Riter has lived in the park for nearly 20 years. He didn’t know who lived in the residence in question, but said he never noticed any issues.
“It’s sad. It’s crazy,” Mr. Riter said. “It makes you wonder what made it happen. It’s pretty quiet for the most part. There are cops in and out, but I think they’re just [patrolling].”
Andrew Iler lived near the mobile home for eight months. He said Monday’s scene made him “feel crazy.”
“It’s decently quiet actually,” Mr. Iler said. “It’s like living in Perrysburg pretty much. You rarely see a cop ride through here.”
Blade news services contributed to this article.
First Published November 12, 2018, 7:28 p.m.
