An Ohio woman was violently murdered after she stabbed her abusive boyfriend while trying to defend herself, police said.

Kylene Young, 39, of Columbus, was found dead inside her home on the 2500 block of Harrisburg Pike Monday afternoon with multiple stab wounds and her car missing, according to detectives.

Young was killed after she and her boyfriend, Tyler Stiers, 23, allegedly got into a  fight inside the apartment.

In a sworn statement to detectives, Stiers admitted that he hit her with a ‘closed fist’ before ‘she stabbed him in the arm in self-defense.’

Stiers said that he struck her several more times with his fist before grabbing the knife from her hand and repeatedly stabbing her.

Stiers was taken into custody the next day after police caught him driving through Athens County in her car.

Columbus police were dispatched to Young’s apartment at around 1pm Monday to preform a welfare check, but ultimately needed fire crews to assist in forcing their way through the door.

Once inside, officers were met with Young unresponsive inside the home with multiple stab wounds, according to a criminal complaint.

Medics pronounced the 39-year-old property manager dead at the scene just minutes after arriving.

Young’s family members disputed the claim that the pair were still dating, ABC 6 reported.

Officers noted how Stiers was the last person they knew to be with her before she was found dead.

A stolen vehicle report was filed a day before her car was discovered with Stiers inside.

Deputies arrested the 23-year-old on charges of receiving stolen property and held him for questioning into Young’s death.

Investigators identified a bloody palm print at the scene that matched Stier’s, 10 WBNS reported.

He was booked into the Southeast Ohio Regional Jail and charged with Young’s murder. 

The Columbus Police Department didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.