WPD: Investigations of two serious crimes continue

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WILMINGTON — Detectives continue to investigate a rare homicide that occurred in the city six months ago, as well as an armed robbery in July at a private home that serves as a college fraternity house.

Murder investigation

Wilmington Police Department Chief Ron Cravens and Detective Scott Baker told the News Journal they continue to track down leads in the murder of Michael D. Melvin, 38, of Wilmington.

“We have some things in the works, some other felony cases we believe will shed some light on our homicide,” said Baker. “But we can’t really discuss much on those until they’re done.”

Leads from the public are still accepted, Baker advised, adding those have slowed down over time.

“We constantly chase (the leads) down, but a lot of them lead towards dead-ends,” said Baker.

According to Wilmington police, at 2:34 a.m. on Tuesday, May 7, officers responded to the 200-300 block of Grant Street on a report of a man inside a vehicle who had been shot. On arrival, officers located the victim in the driver’s seat with multiple gunshot wounds.

Wilmington EMS was dispatched to the scene and, upon their arrival, the man, Melvin, was confirmed dead.

Melvin’s 2004 Cadillac Escalade had windows shot out, with several bullet holes in the vehicle’s side.

The homicide was the first in Wilmington since 2014.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) was contacted to assist WPD with the investigation.

The Wilmington Police Department has asked citizens in the neighborhood with home surveillance systems to check their recordings from that day around the time frame the incident occurred.

Anyone with any information is asked to call the Wilmington Police Department at 937-382-3833, or those who wish to remain anonymous can contact the TIPS line as well at 937-382-TIPS (382-8477).

Robbery. shooting probed

Another investigation is of an incident that occurred about four months ago early Sunday morning, July 14 at the Sigma Zeta fraternity house at 142 Quaker Way near Wilmington College.

Baker told the News Journal they’re looking into some new leads, but the case had been a complex one.

“It’s a very complicated situation with it being a drug robbery,” he said. “A lot the witnesses involved were a part of that drug trade. So, it’s self-incrimination that they want to stay away from.”

The WPD has told the victims that the drugs were not the focus of the investigation.

The News Journal reported then that there were multiple victims — all apparently Wilmington College students, according to the Wilmington Police Department incident report — who reported that four suspects forced their way into the house (which is located on private property), with two displaying handguns, and ordered the occupants to give up all the “cash/money, cellular telephones and marijuana” with one suspect reportedly stating, “Where’s the weed? Do you know where the weed is?”

The reports stated that all victims were taken upstairs where two people “were violently assaulted, causing serious injuries.”

Police report that during the altercation one of the suspects shot a male victim. He was taken to Clinton Memorial Hospital, then transferred to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.

The suspects fled the scene shortly after the shooting.

Police report that four search warrants were served during the night and evidence seized. Two suspects — one from Cincinnati and one from Dayton — were listed in the report.

“Property” recovered at the crime scene included a Ruger 9mm magazine with ammunition; a “Black ops air handgun”; a makeshift black mask; “drug equipment white marijuana bong”; and a cell phone wallet case cover.

Wilmington police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) in May inspected the 2004 Cadillac Escalade that Michael Melvin was sitting in when he was shot on Grant Street early Tuesday morning. The driver’s side back seat window and front passenger window were shot out, and the driver’s side window damaged.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/11/web1_escalade-bullet-holes.jpgWilmington police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) in May inspected the 2004 Cadillac Escalade that Michael Melvin was sitting in when he was shot on Grant Street early Tuesday morning. The driver’s side back seat window and front passenger window were shot out, and the driver’s side window damaged. Wilmington PD

https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2019/11/web1_WPD-Badge-4.jpg Wilmington PD

By John Hamilton

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