Murder On Waterbury - Lakewood Police Update

[Jim O'Bryan]

News Release 1.9.2012

In regards to the shooting at 2051 Waterbury on 1/6/2012,
the following individuals have been charged:

Andre Daniels, 25yrs old, of 1588 Lakewood Ave, Lakewood- Aggravated Murder.

Ronald Perry, 21yrs old, of 2034 Richland Ave. Lakewood – Obstructing Justice

Heather Tuel, 33yrs old, of 1588 Lakewood Ave. Lakewood – Obstructing Justice

Deon D. Allen, 18yrs old of Atlanta Georgia, - Obstructing Official Business

Alex F. Sifford, 17yrs old of Clifton Blvd, Cleveland – Delinquency – Receiving Stolen Property.

The investigation is ongoing with additional charges possible for these and other suspects.

The cases for Daniels, Perry, and Tuel will be handled by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor in the Common Pleas Court.

Allen will be prosecuted by the Lakewood City Prosecutor in Lakewood Municipal Court.

Sifford will be charged in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court.

The initial investigation reveals that there may have been some familiarity between some of the suspects and victims. Motive has not been established at this point.

The investigation is ongoing between the Lakewood Police Department, Cuyahoga County Coroner, and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor. Further details will be provided when available.

Chief Timothy Malley



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[Grace O'Malley]

This was not people coming into Lakewood and causing trouble - the murderer lived here as did many of the others.

Also note that the residence on Lakewood Ave is a two family house that was foreclosed then purchased by the current owner for $28,000. A two family! Probably a dump, but the owner is still making money on it at that price even if he charges low rent, which you know is part of the problem why the riff-raff are now able to move into Lakewood.

Also, I read that Kevin Butler was interviewed somewhere and said that the address on Waterbury had many police calls and was definitely a known nuisance. Yet again, I have to point at that there was knowledge of a problem here and it was not dealt with either appropriately or in a timely manner. It was a disaster waiting to happen. No surprise here.

[Jim O'Bryan]

This was not people coming into Lakewood and causing trouble - the murderer lived here as did many of the others.

Grace

All very good points. It often seems like the eye was taken off the ball. But then we know
that everything at City Hall has been cut severely, including police that retired and not
replaced. I would hope this kills the talk of layoffs at the LPD.

What is very obvious to all that were there. The police and city knew of Waterbury, and
knew Lakewood addresses very well. Why they were not pulled in with any of the current
laws and rules on the book is beside me.

The neighbors all went into great detail about the house and the people coming and going
that lived around it on Waterbury.

As has often been pointed out here. Section 8 is not the problem, the problem is the places
that rent for lower than Section 8, which has the potential of real undesirables to moving
in. At least with Section 8, they have to obey the laws or lose it.

Still, in what was a real crazy night in Lakewood, the police, and fire did an amazing job.

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[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Would drug testing for government programs be considered unconstitutional? I thought I've read about welfare recipients having to pass drug tests in some states, and Ohio/Kasich considering legislature to implement drug testing here. That would be an easier way to weed "no pun intended" individuals like these out of homes in Lakewood and neighboring cities.

[Kevin Butler]

Also, I read that Kevin Butler was interviewed somewhere and said that the address on Waterbury had many police calls and was definitely a known nuisance. Yet again, I have to point at that there was knowledge of a problem here and it was not dealt with either appropriately or in a timely manner. It was a disaster waiting to happen. No surprise here.

The Waterbury address was the subject of five police visits over a period of three different days in late December 2011. One, on Dec. 17, was for the report of a stolen phone tied somehow to that address. Another, on Dec. 20, was for loud music. Three calls were made Dec. 29, the first for females fighting in the street (gone on arrival), the second for suspicious cars coming and going (gone on arrival), and the third for suspicious males running through the backyard. An arrest was made related to the third call, when a suspect hid from the police, resisted arrest and gave police false information.

On Jan. 4, two days before the homicide, the police sought to add this property to our chronic-nuisance enforcement list related to these December events. Adding the property to the list means a warning letter goes to the landlord and encourages the landlord to remedy the nuisance condition.

Here, the records reflect our police were in step with the criminal activity reported at the property. The activity was dealt with timely and appropriately. Respectfully, I disagree with any statement to the contrary.

Kevin Butler

[Grace O'Malley]

My question remains: were the occupants of the nuisance residence interviewed or questioned? Apparently there was a juvenile living there without a parent or responsible adult. Had that been ascertained, it seems that further action could be taken.

In addition, in my mind, that many calls should have prompted a more thorough investigation as to what was going on at that address. Especially with neighbors so apparently willing to share the info that cars and people were coming and going at all hours, a sure sign of drug activity.

You mention two occasions where the calls were basically dismissed as "gone on arrival." Just what exactly does that mean? The cops didn't see anything when they got there? So, did they ask around? Did they knock on the door and say "Hey, what's going on here - we are getting calls." That would be MY idea of an appropriate response. You don't need a search warrant to knock on a door and say there was a call and ask some questions.

[Jim O'Bryan]

News Release 1.9.2012

In regards to the shooting at 2051 Waterbury on 1/6/2012,
the following individuals have been charged:

Andre Daniels, 25yrs old, of 1588 Lakewood Ave, Lakewood- Aggravated Murder.

Ronald Perry, 21yrs old, of 2034 Richland Ave. Lakewood – Obstructing Justice

Heather Tuel, 33yrs old, of 1588 Lakewood Ave. Lakewood – Obstructing Justice

Deon D. Allen, 18yrs old of Atlanta Georgia, - Obstructing Official Business

Alex F. Sifford, 17yrs old of Clifton Blvd, Cleveland – Delinquency – Receiving Stolen Property.

The investigation is ongoing with additional charges possible for these and other suspects.

The cases for Daniels, Perry, and Tuel will be handled by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor in the Common Pleas Court.

Allen will be prosecuted by the Lakewood City Prosecutor in Lakewood Municipal Court.

Sifford will be charged in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court.

The initial investigation reveals that there may have been some familiarity between some of the suspects and victims. Motive has not been established at this point.

The investigation is ongoing between the Lakewood Police Department, Cuyahoga County Coroner, and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor. Further details will be provided when available.

Chief Timothy Malley



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[Roy Pitchford]

Would drug testing for government programs be considered unconstitutional? I thought I've read about welfare recipients having to pass drug tests in some states, and Ohio/Kasich considering legislature to implement drug testing here. That would be an easier way to weed "no pun intended" individuals like these out of homes in Lakewood and neighboring cities.

Are you speaking about the U.S. or Ohio Constitution?
I've never read the Ohio Constitution, so I can't answer to that one.
I have read the U.S. Constitution. To go into this discussion, however, might sidetrack the discussion at hand and will, likely, set me at odds against almost everyone here. I'll say this much at this time: "Promote the general welfare" as written in the Constitution does NOT mean (and never has meant) what people like Dennis Kucinich think it means.

If you'd like to start a new discussion topic about it, I'll offer my thoughts.

[Stephen Eisel]

So sad... This culture / country / western civ is sick and needs to be overhauled.

[Scott Meeson]

So sad... This culture / country / western civ is sick and needs to be overhauled.

They think so too:

[Stephen Eisel]

Good to see that North Korea and China were able to re-use all of the Johnny Socko, Ultraman and Godzilla props sitting around collecting dust..

[Dan Pilgrim]

I will admit I have not posted on this forum in at least four or five years. The main reason being I moved out of Lakewood back in 2007 and don't follow local issues that closely.

However, I still own a house in Lakewood and am currently renting it out to a family and find myself still visiting Lakewood often due to my family still living there.

So when I saw the news about this disturbing incident in Lakewood, I realized I had to put my opinion out there.

I have been renting out my single house since end of 2007. I am currently on my fourth group of tenants. Each time my tenants leave, I dread having to go through the process of finding reliable tenants to rent to.

I put my ad on craigslist for my rental unit and usually the calls come in pretty quickly. This past November 2011, I found myself close to renting out to a boyfriend/girlfriend, their children, her sister, their children, etc. But before I rented to them, I started doing my own research online and sure enough, I found a past eviction, a past weapons charge against both of them.

I luckily had another couple interested in the house and after checking their references I was able to avoid renting to the first couple.

My first thought after this incident on Waterbury occurred was that easily could have been my property. But....it wasn't.

Thankfully I did a bit of extra research against the first applicants and was able, with a bit of luck, to find tenants that behave well.

I have no ideas on how to stop the people that were at that "party" on Waterbury from behaving that way and or living that life style. That is all they know and they will continue living like that whether it is in Lakewood, Cleveland or Pepper Pike. That is all they know.

But as a landlord in the city of Lakewood, I do have the power to prevent individuals that have criminal records and or shady references to ruin the city I grew up in, ruin my property, ruin my neighbor’s lives and ultimately ruin the property value of everyone on my street.

I was pleased to find out after I did some research yesterday that the city of Lakewood provides a Discount Tenant Screening Service to help ensure landlords are actively screening potential tenants. (http://onelakewood.com/TenantScreeningD ... ogram.aspx) I have no idea how much this discount is but at least this service is a proactive measure that landlords can use to help avoid the situation on Waterbury.

Only problem is....why in the world did I not know this existed? I realize I am not a resident and maybe by living in Lakewood, I would have known, but there is no reason that each and every home owner and/or landlord in Lakewood isn't educated about this program.

I look online at the Cuyahoga County Real Estate Search and see that the address where this incident took place is owned by Equity Trust Co. I assume this is some type of Management Company that took over after a foreclosure, but I have no idea.

Do I really think the individuals that signed a lease to live at that address on Waterbury ever were screened thoroughly by this Equity Trust Co.?

Maybe they were, maybe the actual residents of that house had flawless records and it was just their friends causing the trouble.....but I have a good feeling that wasn’t the case.

I would be interested to hear suggestions on how the city and landlords can play a more active role together to ensure law abiding tenants are moving in.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Dan

Welcome back, and as a property owner and past resident, stay on. Sometimes the best
view of Lakewood is from afar.

NOTHING you have mentioned would have any impact on this.

The person killed, and supposedly dealing drugs was not a renter. His family owned the unit.

The shooters, were imported by the city of Lakewood as part of a Lutheran Church Ministry
outreach program that has been a complete nightmare since it arrived. How in the world
anyone in the city of Lakewood could ever think it is a good idea to create an entire
apartment complex for early release violent teenage offenders is beyond me. It has to be
the same kind of thought process, that believed it would be a great idea educating them
in grade schools filled with kids 10-15 years younger than them!

While this provides a perfect time to look back, do not be put off by the smoke and mirrors.
Speaking of which would be the landlord program you know of. It demands that you have
a lease, among other things. I have rental property and have never used a lease EVER.
I have had some amazing success, in 15 years, 2 different renters. What made that
relationship so nice, was not a lease, but the understanding, I had to please them to stay,
and they had to please me to stay. That the "party" could be called at anytime for any
reason. It kept me and them on their toes.

Right now, most in not all of the problems are being created and brought in by us, that
would be the community of Lakewood. We are killing our neighborhoods to make us the
darlings of the nightlife world. With it comes outsiders and with outsiders the chance for
more crime, than in a typical bedroom community. Right now we are working to fill rentals
with ANYTHING, just to keep them full. Never mind they might never be "productive"
members of Lakewood or society. And when there is a problem, or when the building
department forgets its job of keeping housing stock up, we demolish the home, and
brag throughout the county, "We have 62 crappy homes to tear down." Which send a
message wow, hmmmmmmmmm. And behind we are developing a real "hillbilly smile"
of empty lots, that seem vaguely reminiscent of East 55th and Central. Well before it got
to one or two houses left on each block.

Lakewood is every bit as good as it ever was, but many of the refuse to take care of the
small things that keep us right, and prefer to work on the glamorous moments like
convincing McDonalds to move to Detroit, so that Condos, and development can enlarge
on Sloan, for one example.

Things have to change in the mindset here, or it will all slip away.

FWIW


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[Shawn Juris]

Dan,
I appreciate your perspective on this and the way that you have framed it.

http://onelakewood.com/LandlordResources.aspx
I assume that this may have been where you found some of the information, but if not, I hope that you or others find it helpful.

There is another Landlord Training seminar which has been scheduled for January 31st at Lakewood City Hall Auditorium.

http://www.conwaygreene.com/Lakewood/lp ... -h.htm&2.0
This link is to the ordinance which lays out that a housing license requires 2 of 3 items;
A. That the applicant uses a written rental agreement as defined in Section 5321.01(D) of the Ohio Revised Code; or
B. That the applicant uses a reputable tenant screening agency for criminal and eviction background checks; or
C. That the applicant or agent of the applicant has within the past two years attended a landlord-tenant informational seminar approved by the Building Commissioner; and

Hope this helps to answer your question.

[Shawn Juris]

Jim,
As often times, I tend to disagree with some of the simplification and definitions that you use. But, I think that we both have come to expect that to a degree.