COLUMBUS — In a public park less than five miles from where Reagan Tokes was killed 16 months ago, a rally will be held next week to retell her story and promote self-defense and legislative reforms to prevent that story from being repeated.
Lisa McCrary-Tokes, now living in Florida, said the foundation created in her daughter’s memory will partner with the police department in the Columbus suburb of Grove City that helped to investigate Reagan’s murder.
“That police department was incredible in its investigative work,” she said. “They really took this personally and made sure that they did the due diligence in their work so that a conviction could be obtained and there were no loose ends.
“The bottom line is this is a very average, general community, so if something this tragic can happen there, it can happen anywhere,” she said.
Reagan Tokes, formerly of Monclova Township and three months shy of graduation from Ohio State University, was abducted on the night of Feb. 8, 2017, as she left work at a Columbus restaurant.
She ran into Brian Lee Golsby, who had been released from prison two months earlier after completing a sentence for attempted rape. Despite wearing a GPS ankle device, he commited a series of robberies and assaults in the days leading up to Ms. Tokes’ murder.
She was forced to withdraw cash from an automated teller machine, was raped, and then shot twice in the head in Scioto Grove Metro Park. Golsby is serving multiple life sentences with no possibility of parole.
The Tokes family will be joined by four state lawmakers pushing sentencing and parole supervision reforms at the Statehouse, two Grove City police officers, and fitness and self-defense expert Rob Fletcher.
The Reagan Tokes Actions Conquer Tragedy rally will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. June 7 at Eagle Pavilion Fryer Park, 3670 Discovery Drive in Grove City. The event is free, although donations will be welcomed for the Reagan Delaney Tokes Memorial Foundation.
The foundation has provided $120,000 in scholarships. It plans to promote self-defense instruction in schools, advocate for changes in state law, address issues of crime against women and girls, and engage in a social media campaign. Those interested in attending the Grove City event may register at robertfletcherenterprises.com/Actions-Conquer-Tragedy.html.
“I have an 18-year-old daughter,” said Mr. Fletcher, a karate black belt, who has developed fitness programs that combine elements of self-defense, crime prevention, and awareness of surroundings.
“I was very well aware of the story,” he said. “I can’t imagine that kind of tragedy happening, and I am 100 percent supportive of [the Tokes family] efforts.”
He said programs can effectively be adapted into one-time, 90-minute instruction or a six-week course, something he said the foundation was looking for.
“By attending this program, you will put yourself out of the category of being the perfect victim. ... You will know what to do with prevention and awareness. What you do with that knowledge will be up to you,” Mr. Fletcher said.
The event follows weekend fund-raising events held in March in Maumee that coincided with Golsby’s trial. There are plans to incorporate elements of the fitness and self-defense program with the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus next March.
The Ohio Senate recently passed Senate Bill 201 to revive sentence ranges with minimums and maximums, using the threat of longer sentences to get inmates to behave and improve themselves while behind bars. It’s now pending in the House.
Meanwhile, a House committee has sent the full chamber House Bill 365, combining similar sentencing reforms with caseload reduction for parole officers and mandatory real-time monitoring of released inmates’ GPS devices, something not done in Golsby’s case.
Contact Jim Provance at: jprovance@theblade.com or 614-221-0496.
First Published May 31, 2018, 11:00 a.m.
