Suspect in city’s 15th homicide charged
Drake
YOUNGSTOWN
Police now have a suspect in custody in the city’s most-recent homicide.
Police Chief Rod Foley said Walter Drake, 26, of Hilton Avenue, surrendered to authorities through his attorney Wednesday afternoon. An arrest warrant had been issued for Drake last week for the shooting death of 24-year-old Dion Weatherspoon earlier this month.
Drake should be arraigned Friday in Youngstown Municipal Court, the chief said. Drake is charged with murder.
Police have witnesses who said they saw Drake shoot Weatherspoon, Drake’s neighbor, outside the suspect’s house, police said.
The shooting occurred at Drake’s house at 246 Hilton Ave. on the South Side about 11:30 a.m. June 13. Weatherspoon was found lying dead in Drake’s driveway with six bullet holes in him.
Police have said Drake and Weatherspoon are believed to have been friends at some point. The matter leading to the shooting started as an argument, possibly about a theft, police said.
Weatherspoon was the city’s 15th homicide of the year.
Drake’s house was significantly damaged by arson about 11 p.m. one day after the shooting. Fire Capt. Alvin Ware, chief fire investigator said the fire is believed to somehow be related to the shooting, but no arrest has been made in the deliberately set fire.
An empty 1-gallon can of gasoline was found at the scene, and there was a strong odor of gas in the house, Ware said.
Damage to the house was estimated at $16,000.
Court records show that Drake has faced a list of minor charges in the past, including driving without a license, misconduct at an emergency, playing loud music, possession of drug paraphernalia and falsification.