Innocent plea in 1985 slaying

The defendant has two court-appointed lawyers.

YOUNGSTOWN — A man facing the death penalty in a 22-year-old murder case has pleaded innocent.

Bennie L. Adams, 50, of Hollywood Avenue, is charged in the Dec. 29, 1985, strangulation death of Gina Tenney, a 19-year-old Youngstown State University student from Ashtabula. Adams entered his plea at his arraignment Tuesday before Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Adams, who was arrested Oct. 4 and indicted Oct. 11, is charged with aggravated murder with a death penalty specification, rape with a sexual predator specification, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery and kidnapping.

A superseding indictment issued last Wednesday added the death penalty specification to the aggravated murder charge. That specification alleges Adams killed Tenney while committing the other crimes against Tenney, who lived upstairs from Adams in an Ohio Avenue apartment. Tenney’s body was found floating in the Mahoning River the day after she was slain.

Recent testing, which identified Adams’ DNA on evidence preserved from the victim, supported the charges filed against Adams this month, said Dawn Krueger, assistant county prosecutor.

Judge Durkin found Adams indigent, noted that two defense lawyers are needed in a death penalty case, and appointed Attys. Lou DeFabio and Tony Meranto to represent Adams. The case is assigned to Judge R. Scott Krichbaum for further action.

The sexual predator specification stems from a 1986 rape conviction, for which Adams was imprisoned until 2004.

Adams remains in county jail under $1.75 million bond.