Investigators tight-lipped on BCI search at home of suspect in rape trial

April 4, 2015 at 12:10a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Lynn Schmidt, WFMJ-TV Interview

There is still no word on what caused the fatal fire that killed 10-year-old Corinne Gump and her grandparents. Up until now Corinne's mother, Lynn Schmidt, has not spoken to reporters about the fire. She admits she doesn't have any proof, but she shared her opinions with Vindicator broadcast partner 21 WFMJ-TV reporter Glenn Stevens.

Officials on Friday would neither confirm nor deny reported details of a search warrant served Thursday at the home of a man who is a person of interest in a fire that killed three people, one of them a child who was to testify against him in a rape trial.

One of the investigators — Capt. Brad Blackburn, city police chief of detectives — even issued a statement saying that leaked details to the media of the investigation into the Monday fire that killed 10-year-old Corinne Gump and her grandparents William and Judith Schmidt are “hindering the investigation,” as well as upsetting the family.

Blackburn said he cannot comment because of the ongoing investigation but added if he found out who leaked the information to the media, “I will have plenty to say.”

Corinne and her grandparents were killed in a fire early Monday at the Schmidts’ 3631 Powers Way home, just hours before Robert Seman, 46, of West Calla Road in Green Township, was to go on trial in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on charges of raping the child, who was the daughter of a girlfriend. He faces life in prison if convicted and was under house arrest after posting $200,000 bond. His bond was revoked Monday by Judge Maureen Sweeney, after prosecutors said a woman had claimed Seman offered her money if the woman would tell prosecutors the girl was lying about the rape claims.

Thursday evening, agents from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation searched Seman’s home, where the mother of the child, Lynn Marie Schmidt, was found Monday after the fire and taken to the city police station to be interviewed by detectives. She has not been charged with anything.

Court records show that Huntington Bank filed papers March 20 in common pleas court to begin foreclosure proceedings against Seman on the home.

A spokeswoman for the state attorney general’s office referred all questions about the search to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office, because she said they were assisting them. But Sheriff Jerry Greene said Friday he could not comment on any aspect of the search or if it was related to the fire because the search warrant was sealed by the common pleas court judge that issued it.

Greene also refused to confirm or deny reports that Seman had burns on his body when he was in court Monday and hid them until Wednesday, when they were discovered and he had to be taken to a hospital for treatment. Greene also refused to confirm or deny if Seman ever had to leave the jail for medical treatment and was brought back. Online jail records on Friday listed him as being in the jail.

County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains also said he could not comment on any aspects of the investigation or the search because of the seal, as did city Police Chief Robin Lees.

“The affidavits are sealed, as well as the return [of the search warrant],” Lees said.

Typically, when a search warrant is returned to the clerk of courts office after it is executed, the list of items found or seized can be viewed. But because of the seal in this case, that is not possible until the seal is removed.

Investigators from the state fire marshal’s office and fire department Capt. Alvin Ware, head of the department’s investigation unit, have had the street blocked off all week and have revisited the scene of the fire several times, assisted by police detectives and the police department’s crime lab. Early in the investigation, about 12 p.m. Monday, Blackburn addressed the media at the scene and said at that time it appeared the fire was not caused by any criminal activity, but he also added that the fire occurring so close to the trial was a “concern.”

Since then, investigators have not commented much except to say the fire started in the basement.

Friends of the family will conduct a vigil for the victims at 6 p.m. Tuesday in front of the home.