Trumbull investigators honored for work on nine homicide cases

Staff report

WARREN

The Trumbull County Homicide Task Force honored local detectives and state investigators recently for their work on nine murder cases.

The task force, formed in 1984 by county Prosecutor Dennis Watkins, draws prosecutors and investigators from police departments including Warren, Howland, Cortland, Lordstown and Warren Township, the sheriff’s office, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation to solve and prosecute murder cases.

Dr. Thomas James, county coroner, was keynote speaker.

Dr. James was recently elected to fill the unexpired term of Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk, who died in April. Dr. James’ term runs two more years.

Seven people were honored for their work on the Jacob LaRosa aggravated murder case from 2015. LaRosa was recently sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing Marie Belcastro, 94, in her home on Cherry Street in Niles.

Honored were detectives Jim Robbins and Craig Aurilio, Lt. Dan Adkins and patrolman Todd Mobley, plus special agents Ed Staley, Justin Sorkoka and Dam Boerner of BCI.

In the 2017 aggravated murder case of Nasser Hamad, which resulted in Hamad getting 36 years to life in prison, six agencies worked together when the Howland Police Department requested assistance. Hamad killed two young men and injured three other people.

Also honored were Warren detectives Nick Carney and Eric Laprocina and patrolman Mason Henline in the Shawn Hope murder case from 2016. Hope got 44 years to life in prison for killing a Niles man.

Warren detective John Greaver and BCI special agents JoAnn Gibb and Bill Moska were honored for their work in the Austin Burke murder case. Burke was sentenced to 58 years to life for killing a Warren man and robbing the Cortland Pizza Joe’s restaurant in 2017.

Warren detective Wayne Mackey was honored for his work in the Shaun Simpson murder case. Simpson got 18 years to life for killing his girlfriend in 2016.

BCI agent Mike Roberts, Warren detectives Mackey, Greaver and Laprocina and Warren Township detective Dan Peterson were honored for their work in the David Bailes/Charles Dellapenna/James Gardner murder case in which three Forever Two Wheelz motorcycle club members were convicted in the killing of two members of the Brothers Regime club at a Warren Township tavern in 2016.

Warren detectives Carney, Laprocina and Mackey were honored for their work in the Lynette Talley murder case in which Talley was sentenced to seven years in prison in the death of a 3-year-old boy.

Greaver, detectives Mike Yannuccci and Jolene Marcello of the sheriff’s office, Cortland Police Chief David Morris and Howland detectives Jeff Edmundson and Sean Stephens were honored for their work in the 2017 Douglas Day murder in Mesopotamia Township for which he got 23 years to life in prison.

Niles detectives Robbins and Ron Wright were honored for their work in the 2017 Matthew Wilson case. Wilson was sentenced to nine years in prison for killing his infant daughter.