Man charged with murder in death of wife

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A 55-year-old city man believed to have strangled his wife was indicted this week by a Mahoning County grand jury.

Daniel Wellington, 55, of Knapp Avenue, has been indicted on a charge of murder in the death of his 44-year-old wife, Doris Wellington. He previously had been arraigned in Youngstown Municipal Court on a charge of voluntary manslaughter in the case, but that was changed to murder after presentation to the grand jury.

Wellington had been placed in the county jail on a $25,000 bond after his arraignment in Youngstown on the manslaughter charge.

Police were called to the Wellingtons’ Knapp Avenue home on the East Side just after 1 a.m. Aug. 5 for a report of a female not breathing. When officers arrived at the home, Wellington was attempting cardiopulmonary resuscitation on his wife.

Wellington, according to police reports, told officers he and his wife got into an argument, and she jumped on him. He said he grabbed her around the neck to get her off of him and she hit her head as they rolled off the bed.

Wellington, however, previously told officers during an earlier phone call that he and his wife had argued and he choked her. A ruling from the Mahoning County Coroner’s office late Friday afternoon said Doris Wellington was killed by manual strangulation. Her death was ruled a homicide.

The following people also were indicted this week by a Mahoning County grand jury:

Natalee Good, 18, Prospect Street, Aleah Good, 19, Prospect Street and Mark Jones, 25, Meridian Road, attempted burglary, burglary and theft.

George Washington Clark, 22, Dunlap Avenue, two counts of aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary.

Andre M. Freeman, 40, Shadyside Drive, Boardman, possession of dangerous drugs.

Bennie Lewis, 53, Palmer Avenue, Campbell, possession of cocaine.

Theatric Jones Jr., 43, West Delason, possession of cocaine.

Harold Oliver, 33, Brookwood Road, Boardman, domestic violence, endangering children and disrupting public services.

Freeman Bankston, 18, West Ravenwood Avenue, burglary.

Sheila Frush, 30, Wolosyn Circle, Poland, possession of heroin.

Mark P. Hurst, 32, Leyton Avenue, tampering with evidence.

Cory Pratt, 22, Oakwood Avenue, burglary.

Angel Cameron, 38, County Line Road, Mineral Ridge, vandalism.

James Kennedy, 18, East Philadelphia Avenue or Plazaview Court, rape.

Jamie Longnecker, 35, Newton Falls Road, North Jackson, felonious assault and assault.

Edward Washington, 50, last known address was the rescue mission, escape and failure to verify address.