City offers reward in church murder

YOUNGSTOWN — The city is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the murder of an 80-year-old woman shot in a South Side church parking lot after attending Mass.

Councilwoman Janet Tarpley, D-6th, who represents the area on city council and lives 10 blocks from the murder scene outside St. Dominic’s Church, said she was “sickened and outraged” by the murder.

Angeline Fimognari was shot in the church parking lot on Lucius Avenue around 10 a.m. Saturday. Police believe the motive was robbery.

“As much as we do to shed our negative stereotype, something of this magnitude is a huge blow to that,” said Mayor Jay Williams. “But that is secondary to the fact that an innocent life was lost in a senseless act of violence by a depraved individual.”

The $10,000 will come from public funds and private donations, Williams said.

Police are receiving cooperation, but some people are unfortunately motivated by money, Tarpley and Williams said. In order to arrest the murderer, money sometimes has to be offered, they said.

The murder was “so random,” Williams said. “Can you absolutely stop it with increased patrols and citizen involvement? The answer is probably no. This happens in our country. Unfortunately, it happens at times in Youngstown, Ohio.”