A group of four men and a teenager were indicted Wednesday after police said they killed four people for money and revenge.
Carl Godfrey, 21, Jason Gray, 18, Mario Gordon, 30, Conn Inabnitt, 49, and an unnamed 14-year-old are charged with dozens of counts of murder and felonious assault.
Investigators said between Jan. 31 and Feb. 18, this group was responsible for four killings and several other shootings.
If these allegations are true, this group is responsible for nearly a third of Cincinnati's 13 fatal shootings since the beginning of the year.
The alleged victims
- Jeremiah Campell killed Jan. 31 in Avondale: Prosecutors say Godfrey was hired to murder Campbell. Godfrey took Gray to the place where Campbell was staying and fatally shot him, officials said.
- Terrance North killed, another wounded Feb. 1 in Fairmount: Prosecutors say the unnamed teen fired multiple shots into a vehicle after setting up a meeting with them over Facebook. North was killed and another person was wounded. In this case, investigators said Godfrey was hired to murder a specific target, but do not specify who.
- Deontray Otis killed, two wounded Feb. 16 in Westwood: Prosecutors say Godfrey sent Gray, Gordon and the unnamed teen to kill a target. The trio fired at a vehicle killing Otis, who was not the intended target, and badly injured two others, according to investigators.
- Donnell Steele killed Feb. 18 in Millvale: Prosecutors say Godfrey and the unnamed teen went to Millvale "in retaliation for another incident," and once there encountered Steele. Steele was shot and killed, but investigators said they do not believe Steele was specifically targeted.
All of the suspects are all in custody. The teen's case is being handled by Hamilton County Juvenile Court at this time, but due to the nature of the charges, prosecutors will argue to have the case bound over to adult court.
Godfrey, Gordon and Inabnitt are being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center. Gray is in jail in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, awaiting extradition back to Ohio.
Hearings in the cases have not yet been scheduled.
"The violence perpetrated by and on young men in our city is out of control. And we must get a handle on it quickly to stop the cycle of trauma and victimization," Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said. "Our communities cannot thrive if there are people in them causing this kind of chaos."
The case remains under investigation. Police are asking anyone with information about these killings or any other crimes that may be associated with this group to call investigators at 513-352-3542. Tips can also be left anonymous at CrimeStoppers by calling 513-352-3040.
“This group has caused irreparable harm to our community and impacted several families forever through these horrific crimes," Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac said. "I am grateful for the tremendous investigative effort from our Homicide Unit and the collaboration with Prosecutor Deters to hold all of these individuals accountable."
Godfrey was out on bond in two other shootings
Godfrey posted a $200,000 bond in November to secure his release from jail in a pending case involving two 2019 shootings.
The shootings took place in the English Woods neighborhood, where court documents say he was living at the time.
Prosecutors say Godfrey wounded four people in the two shootings on consecutive days.
He was arrested and jailed on a menacing charge Feb. 22, just a few days after the last shooting listed in the current indictment.
While in jail on Feb. 23, prosecutors say Godfrey made a jail call in which he solicited at least two people to contact the victim in the menacing case and pay her to sign papers saying she didn’t want to prosecute him. That case was ultimately dismissed.
In 2017, when Godfrey was 17, he pleaded guilty to weapons charges.
Godfrey’s attorney, Tom Koustmer, declined to comment.
The other defendants
Gordon was released from prison in 2019 after serving about eight years for a 2011 aggravated burglary and felonious assault, court records state. Police said he pistol-whipped a man and burglarized a number of residences. Prior to that, he was imprisoned for another armed robbery.
Inabnitt has several prior convictions for theft and other misdemeanor offenses but has not been charged with any violent offenses in Hamilton County prior to Wednesday.
Gray, who is only 18, has had no convictions as an adult in Hamilton County. The Enquirer has requested his juvenile record.
Source link
