Police probe woman's death as a homicide

Police are looking for -- and want to talk to -- her boyfriend.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Police are investigating the death of a 28-year-old Youngstown woman on the city's South Side as a homicide.
It is unknown if visible injuries, primarily two badly swelled black eyes, suffered by Regina Miller of Forestview Avenue caused her death, said police Lt. Robin Lees.
An autopsy to be handled by the Mahoning County Coroner's Office will determine how Miller died.
"Until then, we are pursuing it as a homicide or murder," Lees said.
"Outwardly, there's not much trauma to cause death. There are visible signs of injury and an assault," he said. "This will require an in-depth investigation, and the coroner will make the determination" on cause of death.
Call about a body
Police said they received a call from a Youngstown man on a pay phone on South Avenue about 4 a.m. Sunday, informing them there was a dead person at 524 Samuel Ave. Officers met the man at the Samuel Avenue residence, where his 33-year-old son lives.
The father said his son told him he got into a fight with Miller, his girlfriend, earlier Sunday, according to a police report.
The report states the father was told by his son that he and Miller fell asleep, and when he woke up, she was dead. The father went to the house, found Miller's body and told his son he was correct.
Upon hearing that, the son got into his car and left, and the father called the police.
The reports states that Miller was on her back in bed with shoes, jeans, a partly unstrapped bra and no shirt.
Still looking
Police want to talk to Miller's boyfriend about her death, but they weren't able to find him as of Sunday evening.
If Miller's death is ruled a homicide, it would be the 31st in the city this year. In 2004, Youngstown had 16 homicides by Oct. 23 and 22 homicides for the entire year.
The most recent homicide in the city occurred Thursday when Alexander Dawson, a 14-year-old Youngstown boy, was gunned down inside a Stewart Avenue house.
Dymond Ortello, a 19-year-old Youngstown man with Dawson, was shot several times. He was listed late Sunday in critical condition at St. Elizabeth Health Center.
skolnick@vindy.com