Man charged in death of boy missing nearly six years

Man charged in death of boy missing nearly six years

YOUNGSTOWN — Authorities have arrested a man for the death of a 16-year-old boy who was reported missing nearly six years ago.

James P. Higham’s body was never found.

Youngstown Police Chief Jimmy Hughes and Capt. Kenneth Centorame, chief of detectives, said today the boy was drowned then dismembered, and his body was disposed of in a trash bin and in several other places on the city’s South Side.

They would not be more specific. They said his remains are in a landfill.

Charged with murder, tampering with evidence, endangering children, permitting child abuse and gross abuse of a corpse is David Sharpe, 44, of Pyatt Street. All of the charges are felonies.

Sharpe was indicted today on the charges, which were presented to the Mahoning County grand jury.

Authorities from YPD, the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority and the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office arrested Sharpe at his home at 5:50 p.m. today. He was in the Mahoning County Jail and was expected to be at the county common pleas court for arraignment Friday morning.

For the complete story, see Friday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.