Brittany Stykes Murder: Pregnant Ohio mother shot to death in her Jeep, police seek motive

(CBS/AP) GEORGETOWN, Ohio -  Pregnant Ohio mother Brittany Stykes was shot to death on the night of Aug. 28 as she was driving with her 14-month-old daughter, officials said at a press conference Thursday, reports CBS affiliate WKRC.

Police discovered the woman's Jeep off the road that evening, riddled with bullets. Stykes' daughter, Aubree, suffered a gunshot wound to the head and continues to recover, officials said.

Police at first thought they were responding to a car crash when someone called to report a yellow Jeep Wrangler off the road in a wooded area in Ripley, some 45 miles southeast of Cincinnati in southern Ohio's Appalachian country. They discovered Stykes, a 22-year-old stay-at-home mom who was seven weeks pregnant, shot to death. Her daughter was bleeding from the head, strapped into her car seat.

Police released few other details about the case Thursday, saying they have no possible suspects or a motive, reports the station. However, they have reportedly narrowed down the time frame during which Stykes was killed, saying she was captured on video camera driving her Jeep at 7:30 p.m. and discovered dead at 8:05 p.m.

Officials are asking the public to come forward with any information, and Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward in the case. Police say they are following up on leads and awaiting lab results from evidence collected at the scene.

David Dodson, Stykes' father and Aubree's grandfather, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he and his family are still baffled about why anyone would want to hurt his daughter and her children.

Stykes lived for her family and was loved by everyone who knew her, said Dodson, 49.

"She would call me every morning and it was always, 'Dad, what are we going to do today?'" Dodson said, adding that his daughter spent every day with her parents while her husband worked his factory job in Cincinnati.

"She loved being a mom, that was her world right there - the babies and being married," he said. "She wanted to be with us all the time."

His daughter had just left her mother-in-law's house and was on her way home when she was shot, Dodson said.

Dodson said 14-month-old Aubree is getting better every day and has been asking about her mother. But until he knows who killed his daughter and unborn grandchild, Dodson said that he'll be worried about Aubree's safety.

Stykes was laid to rest Wednesday, reports the station.