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Jury selection begins in Ayers Street murder case
Trial was delayed after a witness fled marshals
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
A murder trial in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court set to begin Tuesday with jury selection has been delayed after a witness who had a warrant for an appearance ran from U.S. Marshals in Boardman.
Jurors reported to the courtroom of Judge John Durkin to be picked to hear the case against Kimani Hodges, 20 and Angel Bell, also 20, for the Feb. 17, 2016, slaying of 20-year-old Jason Fonseca on Ayers Street, but were sent home in the afternoon once it was known that the witness escaped.
Marshals had a material witness warrant for Raymond Ortiz, 26, and he was spotted in a car with another person in Boardman in the area around West Boulevard, a spokesman for the marshals said. When they tried to pull the car over about 10:30 a.m. in Boardman, the car drove away, then crashed.
The driver was injured and caught by marshals. Ortiz ran away and managed to elude marshals. Anyone with information on Ortiz is asked to call 1-866-WANTED or text keyword “WANTED” and tip to TIP411 (847411).
In a hearing earlier in the morning before jurors reported, a ruling by Judge Durkin may have dealt a blow to Hodges’ claims of self-defense in the case.
Hodges is charged with aggravated murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Bell is also charged with aggravated murder. A charge of obstructing justice against Bell was dismissed by prosecutors just before jurors were brought in for the selection process.
Detectives believe Fonseca was feuding with Bell and Hodges over a car he sold to Bell. They said Bell wrecked the car and Fonseca took the keys after it was wrecked.
The two were upset and went to Fonseca’s house at least once before he was shot and killed about 3 p.m. Feb. 17 in the middle of the street in front of several witnesses.