Shooting victim’s body 1st viewed as Halloween prop

October 29, 2017 at 12:06a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Police say a mail carrier found a body Friday afternoon behind a vacant South Side home but waited several hours to call police because he thought it was a Halloween prop.

However, after he called police and officers responded about 10 p.m. to 107 E. Glenaven Ave., they found the body of Ashley Peoples, 26, who was dead from several gunshot wounds.

Her death was the second homicide in the city Friday and the 19th of the year for Youngstown. In all of 2016, the city recorded 18 homicides.

Lt. Doug Bobovnyik said the mail carrier had found the body about 1 p.m. but did not call police because he thought it was some kind of Halloween display.

However, after several hours and after talking to some coworkers, he decided to call police, Bobovnyik said.

Peoples was found in the backyard of the home.

Earlier, TreVaughn Bell, 24, was shot at about 3 p.m. in the side yard of a home at 1172 Verona Ave. on the East Side and died a short time later in St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.

Bobovnyik said when police and paramedics arrived, Bell was talking and told police a man named Kenneth Daniels, had shot him. Officers found Daniels a short distance away and took him into custody, Bobovnyik said.

Daniels did have a gun on him when he was arrested, Bobovnyik said.

He was booked into the Mahoning County jail on charges of murder and carrying a concealed weapon.

He is expected to be formally charged with murder Monday.