City man indicted in deaths of boy, woman and fetus

The indictment includes two alternative murder counts for the fetus.

By PETER H. MILLIKEN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — A Center Street man has been indicted on four counts of aggravated murder, all with firearm and death penalty specifications, in the deaths of a woman and her unborn baby and 8-year-old son last week.

The Mahoning County grand jury Thursday indicted Curtis Young, 24, in the deaths of Helen Moore, 29, of Cassius Street, the nearly full-term baby he fathered, and her son, Ceonei Moore, on the afternoon of July 31 on North Center Street. Detectives believe the bullet that passed through Moore’s neck entered Ceonei’s head in the car the victims occupied.

The shooting followed what police said was a domestic dispute and what witnesses called a love triangle.

Young surrendered to authorities Aug. 2 on the Mahoning County Courthouse steps. Young had been at Moore’s home, where they argued. What followed was a rolling argument from Cassius Street to North Center Street, involving Moore, her sister and Young, all in separate cars.

The indictment consists of one aggravated murder count each regarding Moore and Ceonei and two counts for the unborn child, the first alleging unlawful pregnancy termination and the second listing the victim as Baby Moore.

Timothy Franken, chief trial lawyer in the county prosecutor’s office, who presented the case to the grand jury, explained that the indictment offers two alternative charges, the first alleging the fetus was killed by prior calculation and design, and the second without the words “prior calculation and design.”

If Young were to be found guilty of both charges concerning the fetus, the two charges would merge, Franken explained.

A viable fetus is a person under the law, he said. “We covered all the bases,” Franken added. All four counts allege purposeful killing.

Others indicted

Also indicted was Brandon Karl Sanor, 21, of East Ohio Avenue, Sebring, who was charged with aggravated robbery and felonious assault, both first-degree felonies carrying a three- to 10-year prison term.

The charges allege that Sanor tried to take a gun from Patrolman Joe Barnhouse of the Smith Township Police Department and struck the patrolman with a flashlight July 9.

Others indicted Thursday were:

UJohn C. Heffner Jr., 33, of West Market Street, Alliance, theft of drugs.

URobert L. Roman, 42, of Argyle Avenue, Boardman, two counts of domestic violence.

UChristine E. Pitt, 27, Akron, and Elizabeth A. Stevens, 22, Cuyahoga Falls, criminal simulation and forgery.

ULarry Ingram, 46, of Parkwood Avenue, cocaine possession.

UAnthony Mascarella, 19, of Bennington Avenue, being a felon with a gun.

UVictor Toney, 19, of Pyatt Street, improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle.

URichard L. Davis, 51, of Heasley Street, receiving stolen property.

UGail Boone, 35, of Hudson Avenue, theft.

UCharles O. Nisevich, 47, of Woodland Avenue, Campbell, passing bad checks.

UDwayne E. Boone, 18, of East Judson Avenue, marijuana trafficking.

USamantha L. Maxwell, 21, of Berry Blossom Drive, Austintown, theft.

UDerek A. North Sr., 49, of Hunter Avenue or Avondale Avenue, theft.

UNorene A. Garono, 39, of Sunshine Avenue, burglary and forgery.

UJoseph P. Bannon, 23, of Sycamore Drive, New Middletown, marijuana trafficking.

UPatrick J. Miller, 23, of Woodland Avenue, Salem, theft.

URobert A. Wolfe, 39, of Homewood Avenue, arson and aggravated arson.