Murder suspect waives juvenile court hearing

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A suspect in an October murder on the South Side waived a hearing in Mahoning County juvenile court Monday and entered into an agreement that recommended a sentence of up to 18 to 20 years in prison when the case reaches common pleas court.

A juvenile-court spokesman said Tuesday that Damarrea Harris, who was 15 when he was arrested in the shooting death of 23-year-old David Perkins of Niles last October, waived his right to an amenability hearing and instead entered into an agreement with prosecutors to be sentenced to 18 to 20 years in prison when the case reaches the common-pleas-court level where he can enter a plea of guilty.

Harris, who turned 16 in November and has an Idora Avenue address, was transferred to the Mahoning County jail later Monday, according to jail records.

Perkins’ body was found in the driveway of a vacant 266 Hilton Ave. home about 9:20 a.m. Oct. 29. Coroner’s officials said he had been shot in the back.

Perkins’ car also was missing at the time his body was discovered. It was found Oct. 30 near East High Avenue in a wooded area off Ella Street.

Perkins was not identified until the day after his body was found, when a group of his friends had become concerned after seeing news reports of a body being found and hearing the description of the body.

Police believe Perkins was the victim of an attempted robbery.