Man killed wife, shot and chased his friend before dying in crash, Ohio deputies say
An Ohio man is accused of killing his wife, then shooting and chasing after his friend before dying in a crash.
Josiah Maloon, 57, fatally beat and shot his wife, 53-year-old Juanita Maloon, at their Greenville home on March 13, according to a news release from the Darke County Sheriff’s Office.
The same day, at about 2:15 p.m., Josiah Maloon asked a friend to come to the home, deputies said. When the friend arrived, Maloon came out of the house and began shooting at him, Sheriff Mark E. Whittaker said in the release.
The friend was shot several times, and he ran to his vehicle and took off, deputies said. However, Maloon got into his vehicle and began chasing him in an SUV, Whittaker said.
Maloon continued shooting at the friend while chasing him and rammed his vehicle with the SUV, according to the sheriff.
The two vehicles crashed in opposite fields, and Maloon died at the scene, Whittaker said. The friend was taken to a hospital to be treated.
“I tried to call my mom and I didn’t hear anything. Then I tried to call my dad and I didn’t hear anything, so I called my aunt who lives next door,” the couple’s son, Caleb Maloon, told WDTN. “She told me that it was something pretty big and that I needed to come home.”
Deputies said a gun, similar to the one believed to be used in his wife’s shooting, was found near Maloon at the crash scene.
“My mom always watched out and cared for those around her, and she always made sure to go above and beyond for literally everyone in her life. She always made sure to give me a big hug and tell me she loved me every single time I left,” Caleb Maloon said in a GoFundMe page.
The Darke County Coroner’s Office ruled Juanita Maloon’s death a homicide.
Greenville is about a 40-mile drive northwest of Dayton.
This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Man killed wife, shot and chased his friend before dying in crash, Ohio deputies say."
