COLUMBUS, OHIO: Rebecca Auborn, a 33-year-old mother from Columbus, Ohio, has been indicted on four counts of murder for allegedly fatally drugging four "Johns" to rob them after meeting for sex. The incidents took place in the first half of this year.
The 33-year-old was also charged with a fifth attack on a man who survived the attempted overdose in December, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
"Don't buy sex in Ohio — it ruins lives and could cost you yours," Yost warned, emphasizing that investigators believe Auborn had more victims.
"For me, if you've got somebody that has a series of killings that are separated in time, they’re a serial killer," Yost said to the Columbus Dispatch. "We have the same MO here."
Rebecca Auborn had no prior criminal history before arrest
According to the AG's office, investigators were initially made aware of the possible connection between the spate of overdose deaths when an anonymous report was received.
Auborn was subsequently linked "to several overdoses and robberies" by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Columbus Division of Police, according to the press release.
In September, Auborn entered a not guilty plea to accusations of murder and drug-related offenses pertaining to the January death of one of the men, thirty-year-old Joseph Crumpler.
According to court papers obtained by the Columbus Dispatch, in that particular case, she even acknowledged to police that she had combined fentanyl in a man's crack pipe after meeting him for sex.
She allegedly admitted to the detectives that she was aware of the man's overdose but still chose to take his debit card and vehicle.
Records also revealed that Auborn, who had at least one child and a daughter who died in 2016 at the age of just 18 days, had no prior criminal history.
What are the charges against Rebecca Auborn?
The 33-year-old mother is currently charged with four counts of murder, four counts of involuntary manslaughter, five counts of aggravated robbery, five counts of felonious assault, five counts of corrupting another with drugs, one count of tampering with evidence, and four counts of trafficking in drugs, all of which are crimes.
Did Rebecca Auborn have more victims?
Detectives suspect there may be more victims and are searching through medical records for related overdose deaths in addition to urging anyone who survived an encounter to come forward without fear of facing legal repercussions if they sought sex.
"We're interested in holding a killer accountable," the AG noted. "That’s our focus."
Where is 'serial killer' Rebecca Auborn being held?
Rebecca Auborn is being held at the Franklin County jail, and an arraignment is reportedly set for 9 am on Monday, October 30. Her hearing was originally scheduled to begin on Friday, October 27, but was postponed, per Daily Mail.
