Hillsboro business questions investigation after July break-in, theft
By
-
By RORY RYAN and
BRANDY CHANDLER
The Highland County Press
Two Hillsboro optometrists have a number of questions for local law enforcement regarding a July 12 break-in at their West Main Street business.
In a letter dated Sept. 22 to Hillsboro Police Chief Nick Thompson and copied to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, Dr. Ralph Williams and Dr. Leah McConnaughey ask the the chief where the investigation stands after more than two months (now three months).
The doctors also allege that "evidence, items taken from our office, was found in a Highland County sheriff's deputy's car. His car was stuck at Producers Stockyards (close to the optometrists' office)."
The doctors further allege that a "person related to the deputy sheriff had six sutures in his hand at Highland District Hospital."
The doctors' letter was delivered to The Highland County Press on Oct. 28.
According to a July 12 report by the HPD, written by Sgt. Greg Barr, "Unusual circumstances led a Hillsboro area citizen to observe a suspicious vehicle at the Producers Stockyards on West Main Street in Hillsboro. That citizen reported to the Hillsboro Police Department his observations, which were reported to the Highland County Sheriff's Office. Officers from both departments responded to the area. That vehicle was reported stolen a short time later [and a separate report was filed]. Evidence was later recovered by the Highland County Sheriff's Office of a breaking and entering. The breaking and entering was found to be at the office of Ralph E. Williams, OD, and Leah McConnaughey, OD, optometrists at 934 West Main Street. A window had been broken to gain entry. Money, eyewear, and accessories, as well as computer equipment, were taken."
The incident, according to the report, took place between 2 a.m. and 5:17 a.m. The report time is listed as 6:56 a.m.
A second police report, dated July 12 by Officer Todd Whited, states that, "On July 12, 2011, at approximately (5:12 a.m.) the police department received a call of a suspicious vehicle behind a business on West Main Street. The vehicle (a green 1994 Ford Explorer) was found to be stolen."
According to the break-in report, the charges that are being considered are breaking and entering, a felony of the fifth degree; vandalism, a felony of the fifth degree; and theft, a felony of the fourth degree.
The report lists evidence and items that were recovered from the vehicle and the business, including: a receipt from Speedway; a red metal flashlight; a black bag with a hammer and pry bar; a Seagate computer data backup valued at $1,000; cash in the amount of $408.59; a white plastic bag with "blood splatter;" 29 pairs of sunglasses and one eyeglass case and a tan plastic bag, valued at $5,800; empty eyeglass cases valued at $200; two boxes of Starburst candy and $12.41 in cash; two gloves, a black sweat shirt, a green T-shirt and a brown hood; "cotton swabs from desk drawer;" an envelope with blood; labels from glasses; sunglasses from a display case; glass from a display case; a metal lock box; letter opener; cotton swabs; and a checkbook.
When contacted by The Highland County Press in July, Thompson said the case remains open and under investigation. He said the police department is waiting for DNA test results from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation in London.
Thompson reiterated those statements on Oct. 28.
"It's usually a 120-day turnaround (with BCI)," Thompson said this week. "It would be detrimental for me to give anything out on this before all the evidence is in.
"It's not going away," the chief said. "The intention of the Hillsboro Police Department is to do a proper investigation and present the evidence we have to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins to go before a grand jury. There are no deals on the table. In fact, a member of the young man's family told me, 'No holds barred,' do what you have to do.'"
The doctors say they have suffered a "large monetary loss, in excess of $10,000; damage to our office, loss of online production, and the humiliation of being the victim of a crime."
They also allege that "a suspect was taken into custody by the Highland County Sheriff's Department."
Shortly after The Highland County Press spoke with the HPD, Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward called the newspaper to discuss the case.
When read excerpts of the doctors' letter, Ward replied, "That is not true."
Ward said the police department's person of interest is Ryan Walker, 25, of Hillsboro, the son of HCSO Deputy Donnie Walker. On the night of the break-in, Ward said his office received a call of a suspicious vehicle near Producers Stockyards on West Main Street.
"Steve Alexander (of the HCSO) called it in. The car came back to either Donnie or his wife. Steve called Donnie and asked if his car had been stolen. Donnie said 'My son, Ryan, has it.'
"Donnie comes up to get it, and at that point, they hadn't found that the business (was) broken into yet," Ward said.
After getting the car, Ward said "Donnie starts finding stuff in the car and calls the office (HCSO) and says, 'Get Steve back down here.' Steve goes to Donnie's house, they call the police department, and they find that the doctors' office was broken into. Ryan was AWOL until 5 o'clock that evening."
"He deserves to be charged," Ward said. "But for it to be alleged that there's been any interfering (by law enforcement) is just bull… I understand they had Ryan in for an interview, but he refused to answer questions. I have never talked to anybody from the police department on this case.
"Without any hesitation, I assure you our office has not and will not interfere with this," Ward said.
In fact, the Highland County Sheriff's Office arrested Ryan Walker in 2005 on several charges.
Sgt. Ron Priest with the Hillsboro Police Department confirmed that the department is currently waiting on the results of BCI testing on DNA from blood from the scene.
Priest said that the HPD had been in contact with BCI on Oct. 27.
"As of Oct. 20, a report had been drafted, and it has to be reviewed by a supervisor, and then we should get it in the next few days. Then we will forward it to the prosecutor and maybe take something to the grand jury," Priest said.
"A gentleman was brought in to be interviewed, but he did not want to talk to the officer. He lawyered up," Priest said. "He is the suspect we're looking at with the DNA."
"In a situation like this, where we have a suspect, we would normally be in contact with the prosecutor on probable causes as the case develops," the officer said.
Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins told The Highland County Press that, "Shortly after the offense occurred, I spoke with Chief Thompson, and he said they had collected fingerprints and DNA."
Collins said that according to a BCI evidence database, DNA testing is completed but the reports have not been approved by BCI supervisors.
"It does take a while," Collins said.
The prosecutor said that she has been contacted by a victim in the case, "and I told him that there is a process. BCI is backed up, and we can't make them move any faster. The average length of time from arraignment to sentencing in (Highland County Common Pleas Court before Judge Rocky Coss) is 147 days.
"We can't wait for test results to come back during that time," Collins said. "We only have one shot (to try a defendant), and we need to have all our ducks in a row before we present it to the grand jury. That would be the case no matter who it is.
"All the evidence is not back from BCI, and when the evidence is complete, we'll prosecute it under the law, just like any other case. July to October is not that long for an investigation. It's a backed-up lab."
Collins said that when she consulted with the sheriff's office, "The sheriff said, 'Anneka, you treat this like any other case.'"
Ward has had two HCSO deputies arrested this year and said they had to be treated the same as any other individual.[[In-content Ad]]
BRANDY CHANDLER
The Highland County Press
Two Hillsboro optometrists have a number of questions for local law enforcement regarding a July 12 break-in at their West Main Street business.
In a letter dated Sept. 22 to Hillsboro Police Chief Nick Thompson and copied to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, Dr. Ralph Williams and Dr. Leah McConnaughey ask the the chief where the investigation stands after more than two months (now three months).
The doctors also allege that "evidence, items taken from our office, was found in a Highland County sheriff's deputy's car. His car was stuck at Producers Stockyards (close to the optometrists' office)."
The doctors further allege that a "person related to the deputy sheriff had six sutures in his hand at Highland District Hospital."
The doctors' letter was delivered to The Highland County Press on Oct. 28.
According to a July 12 report by the HPD, written by Sgt. Greg Barr, "Unusual circumstances led a Hillsboro area citizen to observe a suspicious vehicle at the Producers Stockyards on West Main Street in Hillsboro. That citizen reported to the Hillsboro Police Department his observations, which were reported to the Highland County Sheriff's Office. Officers from both departments responded to the area. That vehicle was reported stolen a short time later [and a separate report was filed]. Evidence was later recovered by the Highland County Sheriff's Office of a breaking and entering. The breaking and entering was found to be at the office of Ralph E. Williams, OD, and Leah McConnaughey, OD, optometrists at 934 West Main Street. A window had been broken to gain entry. Money, eyewear, and accessories, as well as computer equipment, were taken."
The incident, according to the report, took place between 2 a.m. and 5:17 a.m. The report time is listed as 6:56 a.m.
A second police report, dated July 12 by Officer Todd Whited, states that, "On July 12, 2011, at approximately (5:12 a.m.) the police department received a call of a suspicious vehicle behind a business on West Main Street. The vehicle (a green 1994 Ford Explorer) was found to be stolen."
According to the break-in report, the charges that are being considered are breaking and entering, a felony of the fifth degree; vandalism, a felony of the fifth degree; and theft, a felony of the fourth degree.
The report lists evidence and items that were recovered from the vehicle and the business, including: a receipt from Speedway; a red metal flashlight; a black bag with a hammer and pry bar; a Seagate computer data backup valued at $1,000; cash in the amount of $408.59; a white plastic bag with "blood splatter;" 29 pairs of sunglasses and one eyeglass case and a tan plastic bag, valued at $5,800; empty eyeglass cases valued at $200; two boxes of Starburst candy and $12.41 in cash; two gloves, a black sweat shirt, a green T-shirt and a brown hood; "cotton swabs from desk drawer;" an envelope with blood; labels from glasses; sunglasses from a display case; glass from a display case; a metal lock box; letter opener; cotton swabs; and a checkbook.
When contacted by The Highland County Press in July, Thompson said the case remains open and under investigation. He said the police department is waiting for DNA test results from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation in London.
Thompson reiterated those statements on Oct. 28.
"It's usually a 120-day turnaround (with BCI)," Thompson said this week. "It would be detrimental for me to give anything out on this before all the evidence is in.
"It's not going away," the chief said. "The intention of the Hillsboro Police Department is to do a proper investigation and present the evidence we have to Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins to go before a grand jury. There are no deals on the table. In fact, a member of the young man's family told me, 'No holds barred,' do what you have to do.'"
The doctors say they have suffered a "large monetary loss, in excess of $10,000; damage to our office, loss of online production, and the humiliation of being the victim of a crime."
They also allege that "a suspect was taken into custody by the Highland County Sheriff's Department."
Shortly after The Highland County Press spoke with the HPD, Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward called the newspaper to discuss the case.
When read excerpts of the doctors' letter, Ward replied, "That is not true."
Ward said the police department's person of interest is Ryan Walker, 25, of Hillsboro, the son of HCSO Deputy Donnie Walker. On the night of the break-in, Ward said his office received a call of a suspicious vehicle near Producers Stockyards on West Main Street.
"Steve Alexander (of the HCSO) called it in. The car came back to either Donnie or his wife. Steve called Donnie and asked if his car had been stolen. Donnie said 'My son, Ryan, has it.'
"Donnie comes up to get it, and at that point, they hadn't found that the business (was) broken into yet," Ward said.
After getting the car, Ward said "Donnie starts finding stuff in the car and calls the office (HCSO) and says, 'Get Steve back down here.' Steve goes to Donnie's house, they call the police department, and they find that the doctors' office was broken into. Ryan was AWOL until 5 o'clock that evening."
"He deserves to be charged," Ward said. "But for it to be alleged that there's been any interfering (by law enforcement) is just bull… I understand they had Ryan in for an interview, but he refused to answer questions. I have never talked to anybody from the police department on this case.
"Without any hesitation, I assure you our office has not and will not interfere with this," Ward said.
In fact, the Highland County Sheriff's Office arrested Ryan Walker in 2005 on several charges.
Sgt. Ron Priest with the Hillsboro Police Department confirmed that the department is currently waiting on the results of BCI testing on DNA from blood from the scene.
Priest said that the HPD had been in contact with BCI on Oct. 27.
"As of Oct. 20, a report had been drafted, and it has to be reviewed by a supervisor, and then we should get it in the next few days. Then we will forward it to the prosecutor and maybe take something to the grand jury," Priest said.
"A gentleman was brought in to be interviewed, but he did not want to talk to the officer. He lawyered up," Priest said. "He is the suspect we're looking at with the DNA."
"In a situation like this, where we have a suspect, we would normally be in contact with the prosecutor on probable causes as the case develops," the officer said.
Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins told The Highland County Press that, "Shortly after the offense occurred, I spoke with Chief Thompson, and he said they had collected fingerprints and DNA."
Collins said that according to a BCI evidence database, DNA testing is completed but the reports have not been approved by BCI supervisors.
"It does take a while," Collins said.
The prosecutor said that she has been contacted by a victim in the case, "and I told him that there is a process. BCI is backed up, and we can't make them move any faster. The average length of time from arraignment to sentencing in (Highland County Common Pleas Court before Judge Rocky Coss) is 147 days.
"We can't wait for test results to come back during that time," Collins said. "We only have one shot (to try a defendant), and we need to have all our ducks in a row before we present it to the grand jury. That would be the case no matter who it is.
"All the evidence is not back from BCI, and when the evidence is complete, we'll prosecute it under the law, just like any other case. July to October is not that long for an investigation. It's a backed-up lab."
Collins said that when she consulted with the sheriff's office, "The sheriff said, 'Anneka, you treat this like any other case.'"
Ward has had two HCSO deputies arrested this year and said they had to be treated the same as any other individual.[[In-content Ad]]