Girlfriend arrested after missing man’s body found in river, Ohio officials say
_fitted.png "George Cox Jr. was found dead in a river months after he was reported missing, officials say. His girlfriend is now charged with murder.")
An Ohio woman was arrested and accused of murder after officials say her missing boyfriend’s body was found in a river.
Dy’mond Vaden, 32, is charged with murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, gross abuse of a corpse and having weapons under disability, according to a news release from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
The charges stem from the death and disappearance of her boyfriend 32-year-old George Cox, Jr.
On Nov. 8, Cox was reported missing by family after they hadn’t heard from him since Oct. 19, according to prosecutors.
Officers went to Cox’s Cleveland home that he shared with Vaden. However, the apartment was empty with little to no furniture and Vaden was no longer living there, prosecutors said.
Investigators also found blood on the floor, which was later confirmed to be Cox’s according to prosecutors.
On May 15, Cox’s body was found in the Huron River by two kayakers. His body was bound with rope and wrapped in a bed sheet, officials said.
“George Cox Jr.’s family has waited for answers, and today they are one step closer to justice,” Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley said. “Fortunately for his family and the State of Ohio, CDP Homicide detectives are well-trained and smarter than Dy’mond Vaden thinks.”
Investigators found Cox’s blood on clothing at Vaden’s new home as well as bed sheets that matched the one Cox was wrapped in, according to officials.
She was arrested along with a 41-year-old man she was living with, who was charged with having weapons under disability after officials say a gun was found at the home during the arrest.
Cox was “known for his hilarious antics, off-the-wall pranks, and a magnetic personality that could light up any room,” his obituary said. “He had a gift for making people laugh and never met a stranger—he was the life of the party, every time.”
Cox had a 7-year-old daughter who was “his world,” his obituary said.
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 11:04 AM with the headline "Girlfriend arrested after missing man’s body found in river, Ohio officials say."
