TRIAL UPDATE | Reluctant witness testifies against ex-fiance

YOUNGSTOWN — Ashlinn Sykes shuffled into Mahoning County Common Pleas Court this afternoon, hands in the back pockets of her jeans, a somewhat reluctant witness against her ex-fiance.

Sykes reached an agreement with prosecutors that requires her to testify against Taran D. Helms, the man accused of robbing and shooting KFC manager Joe Kaluza.

Sykes is charged with obstruction of justice in the Kaluza case and hopes her testimony for the prosecution will favorably affect that charge. Police charged her, saying that she lied about Helms’ whereabouts after the crime.

Sykes said she and Helms had breakfast at Denny’s on U.S. Route 224 in Boardman the morning of March 24. She said Helms told her he had to go get Hattie Gilbert because they had things to do.

That morning, Kaluza was shot in the neck during a robbery and left paralyzed.

Sykes said she learned what had happened to Kaluza through the newspaper. She recalled being at the KFC on South Avenue several times with Helms when his mother, Kimberly Helms, worked there.

Sykes testified that she was at helms’ father’s house on March 28 — the day he was arrested. Earlier that day, police had been to her apartment on the East Side, looking for Helms.

When asked if she’d ever burned any of Helms’ clothes, Sykes said no. She added that she once set their apartment on fire, and some of his clothes may have burned then. “But other than that, no.”