Youngstown cops enhancing investigations with social media monitors

YOUNGSTOWN

They will probably still work long hours, but the city police department is considering tweaking the way detectives conduct homicide investigations.

Lt. Doug Bobovnyik of the detective bureau said Thursday they now want to augment the traditional two-detective team that investigates homicides with other detectives who will monitor social media and help prepare search warrants.

Bobovnyik was speaking as the bureau is still investigating the city’s latest homicide, in which three people have been charged with aggravated murder in the death of Daniel Sanford, 28, who was found shot to death late Monday in a home on Belden Avenue.

The two-man team that investigated that case, Detective Sgts. Ron Rodway and Michael Lambert, were called out at about 11:50 p.m. Monday and did not stop working until 3 p.m. Tuesday. In that time, they were able to get warrants for three men in the death of Sanford: Lorenzo Hilton, 26 and Vincent Reber, 21, who are both being treated for gunshot wounds as a result of trading gunfire with Sanford; and Reber’s brother, Derrick, 19, who was arrested in Pittsburgh Wednesday with airplane tickets to Miami.

Vincent Reber and Hilton are in St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital on a police hold, while Derrick Reber will return to Youngstown once an extradition hearing takes place or if he waives his hearing.

Bobovnyik lauded Lambert and Rodway for their work and in securing arrests quickly.

“They relentlessly worked this case,” Bobovnyik said.

Read more about it in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.