17-Year-Old Adoptee Kills Adoptive Father

“Police say a teen stabbed and killed his adoptive father Sunday and stabbed and critically injured another person. Police have identified the man who was killed as 58-year-old Mark Rayburn-Velco, an Ohio State University graduate and employee. Police say Rayburn-Velco was killed inside his home Sunday by his adopted 17-year-old son.

Rayburn-Velco married his husband in 2023, but police have not identified the second victim who was stabbed and suffered critical injuries.

A neighbor who did not want to be identified said the teen “was always clean, neat, well taken care of, well spoken when he was out in public.” The neighbor said he told detectives he witnessed the teen become violent and aggressive when he was with a girl last year.

“And the young man with the dark hair turned around and struck the woman several times, knocking her to the ground,” the neighbor said.

ABC6 Investigates asked whether police ever came out for that incident.

The neighbor responded, “Not that I’m aware of.”

The neighbor said one of the men inside the home came out to help the girl get up. He also said, “Everybody on this block is elderly and we are not accustomed to violence in this neighborhood.”

ABC6 Investigates requested past police reports involving the same teen, and asked Franklin County Children Services whether it has had contact with the family. No response to either was readily made available.

On Rayburn-Velco’s Instagram page in April, he wished his son a happy birthday and wrote “that the best is yet to come.”

Ohio State provided ABC6 News a statement about Rayburn-Velco’s death: “Ohio State is morning of colleague and friend, Mark Rayburn-Velco, who passed away on Sunday, May 24. Mark was an integral member of the team at Ohio State. The university is reaching out to Mark’s co-workers to offer support services during this difficult time.”

Police say Rayburn-Velco’s son has been charged with murder and felonious assault.”

Man killed in Clintonville stabbing was adoptive dad of suspect, per police
[ABC 6 5/25/26 by Lisa Rantala]

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