Internet café murders shooter, driver sentenced to 70 total years

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Two Columbus men will serve a combined 70 years in prison after receiving their sentences for a 2019 murder of a husband and wife.

According to the U.S. District Attorney’s Office, Chris King, 28, and Justice Stringer, 29, were sentenced to 40 and 30 years in prison, respectively. The two were indicted on murder charges in July 2019 after they robbed an internet café on East Broad Street.

Police said that King, Stringer and Brisco Dawkins, 54, entered the Players Paradise café at 4 a.m. on Jan. 20 and robbed the store at gunpoint. There, Stringer and King murdered Joseph Arrington, a security guard, and his wife Karen Arrington.  

Court documents state that the men positioned themselves near the business’ office door while one of them sat at a game station pretending to play. When Karen Arrington attempted to enter the office, the suspects, armed with handguns, moved to confront Joseph Arrington, who was also armed.

Both the Arringtons were then shot and killed by King before Stringer drove the men away from the scene.

Five total defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2019 for crimes related to a string of robberies of Internet gaming businesses, including the robbery at Players Paradise.

Dezhan Townsend, 24, and Desjuan Harris, 28, were previously charged by federal criminal complaint.

The defendants were also responsible for a prior café robbery at Players Paradise in Dec. 2018, stealing $30,000 in cash, the U.S. District Attorney’s Office said. Stringer also admitted to his involvement in a Jan. 2019, robbery of Planet Jackpot café on Alum Creek Drive.