Ohio boyfriend allegedly strangled high school art teacher to death

COLUMBUS, Ohio (TCN) — A 37-year-old man is in custody after allegedly fatally strangling his girlfriend, a high school art teacher.

On July 13, at around 1:21 p.m., the Columbus Division of Police responded to the 5000 block of Cobblestone Drive, where they found 46-year-old Rachel Prince unresponsive, and she was pronounced deceased minutes later. According to WSYX-TV, Prince died of strangulation with blunt force trauma to her head and arms.

Further investigation revealed Prince and her boyfriend, Jason Palmer, were allegedly outside their apartment the night before, with Prince on a concrete walkway and Palmer standing over her. Police allege he then brought her inside.

Authorities arrested Palmer on July 15, and he remains held in the Franklin County Jail on a charge of murder.

Palmer reportedly has a criminal past, including an alleged domestic violence incident against the victim in November 2023. Palmer allegedly threatened to kill everyone in the home, and Prince and her two kids hid behind a bed. According to WSYX, Prince sustained red marks all over her neck. Palmer was convicted of aggravated menacing, put on probation, and ordered to stay away from his girlfriend and her children until May. Palmer also allegedly assaulted Prince in September 2024, and she was hospitalized as a result.

Prince worked as an art teacher at Marion-Franklin High School, WBNS-TV reports.

The high school’s principal sent a letter to families and staff, reportedly writing, “Ms. Prince devoted her life to uplifting young people, always leading with compassion. Her presence brought hope and guidance to countless lives, and her loss is deeply felt throughout the Marion-Franklin community and beyond. Yet, the legacy she leaves will live on, inspiring us all to believe in the power of one person to make a lasting difference.”

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