CINCINNATI — Outside of Findlay Movement in Over-the-Rhine, roughly a dozen flowers and notes remembering the gym's late owner have been left on the sidewalk.
Patrick Heringer was stabbed and killed inside his home early Wednesday morning. Cincinnati police said Mordecia Black, 38, is charged with murder and aggravated burglary after he allegedly stabbed the Army veteran in the neck.
During his first court appearance Friday morning, prosecutors said Black is an "exceptionally dangerous individual." The prosecuting attorney laid out Black's lengthy criminal history, which includes charges of possession and trafficking in drugs, felonious assault and aggravated riot.
Brant Dutle, Heringer's friend, said he found out about what happened on social media. He said he's known Heringer for more than a decade, and his wife would often cut Heringer's hair.
"It doesn't make any sense," Dutle said.
Dutle said people just gravitated toward Heringer, who co-founded Findlay Movement with his wife, Sarah, and was the facility's director of coaching.
"He just had this aura around him," Dutle said. "He was always motivational. He was always supportive."
Learn more about how Dutle described his late friend in the video below:
Dutle said the two bonded over their struggles with PTSD. He said he knew Heringer was a friend he could always call when he wanted to talk.
"There was nothing you couldn't say or talk to him about, and that was something I was looking forward to sharing more with (him)," Dutle said.
Heringer's wife shared a heartfelt message about her late husband on her public Facebook page:
Dutle said the loss of his friend is hard to comprehend.
“I know my friend would want nothing more than, you want to forgive, but it’s a tough one to do," Dutle said.
We asked Dutle about how he'll remember Heringer.
"As the awesome energy and light that he was: carry that with you," Dutle said. "Pay it forward, and that's the best way I can remember my brother and my friend, because that's what he would do."
