Lead investigators testifies in Austin/Henderson murder case

YOUNGSTOWN

One of the lead investigators in the case against two men accused of being enforcers for a drug ring on the East Side testified Friday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

City police Detective Sgt. Pat Kelly investigated two of the four homicides that Michael Austin, 22 and Hakeem Henderson, 24, are charged with: the Nov. 13, 2011, murder of Adam Christian, 23, outside an apartment on Woodcrest Avenue; and Raymond “Ramel” Hayes, 23, who was found Nov. 16, 2011, shot several times at Gerwig and Knapp streets.

Kelly was the detective on call the night Christian was murdered, and he also assisted the detective who investigated the death of Hayes, Detective Sgt. John Patton.

Kelly said that the names of Austin and Hayes had come up early in the investigation of Christian’s death, before Hayes was also killed. Prosecutors said Hayes was killed because it was thought he may talk to authorities.

Read more about the case in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.