Teens found guilty of murder

YOUNGSTOWN — Two Youngstown teens will likely spend the majority of their lives behind bars after having been found guilty of aggravated murder and armed robbery with a firearm specification today.

Deandre M. McCreary, 16, of West Woodland Avenue, and Rayshawn Royal, 17, of Cohasset Drive, have been convicted of aggravated murder and aggravated robbery with gun specifications in the June 18, 2011, fatal shooting of Brandon Adkins.

The trial is before Judge Maureen A. Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

The 12-member jury began deliberations Monday afternoon, then resumed early Tuesday morning. The verdict was announced at about 10:40 a.m.

Police found Adkins, 16, of East Philadelphia Avenue, a Chaney High School student, lying in the driveway of a house in the 3100 block of South Avenue, shot in the back, abdomen and right forearm and surrounded by a large crowd. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

McCreary and Royal could be sentenced to life imprisonment.

For more on this story see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.