3 Wilmington men accused of murdering friend appear in court
Three Wilmington men charged with murder in connection to the death of a Blanchester man appeared in court Thursday.
Kevin Noe, 21, Christian Terry, 22, and Corey Ruffner, 22, each had their bond set at $1 million.
Family members of the victim, Layne Hall, described the 23-year-old as a bright young man and a friend to everyone he met.
His older brother, Zachary Earley, said he is trying to be the rock for the rest of his family.
"I am just going to be here for my family through all of this and try to stay strong. You don't ever really think you're going to get a call your brother's been shot, especially in a little place like Wilmington," Earley said.
Gunfire disrupted the city Tuesday night.
Wilmington police were called to a parking lot in an apartment complex off Brownberry Drive and found Hall dead from a gunshot wound to the chest.
"This is very upsetting for me as well, but my mom, she's the one that's burying a child," Earley said.
During Thursday's arraignments, each suspect had something to say.
"I miss my family," Noe said.
Terry said: "I just miss my son. I have a 2-year-old son. Well, a son that's about to be 2 years old, and I have a little girl on the way, and I just want to be there for them."
Ruffner told the judge: "This is one of my first charges ever. I've never been in jail before. I've never been in trouble before."
Judge Mike Daugherty responded. "Well, some guys start off big," Daugherty said.
Earley said the suspects' statements were a bit selfish.
"I understand everyone's going to look out for themselves with them being in the situation they're in, but I also think they should've showed a little bit more respect for my brother losing his life," Earley said.
Wilmington police said Hall and the three suspects were together the night of the shooting. They declined to discuss details of the case, but according to court documents obtained by WLWT, they may have been in the parking lot to commit an armed robbery. Police declined to say if Hall was the target or if someone else was.
WLWT has confirmed that a fourth suspect, Joshua Lee Williams, is currently at large. Police served a warrant Thursday in the 400 block of East Church Street in Xenia, Ohio, but Williams was not inside. Police collected evidence in regards to the murder case.
Before Daugherty set Ruffner's bond, Ruffner's mother, Kelly Ruffner, pleaded for low bail saying her son is needed at home to help care for her disabled husband.
"Corey helps me to care for my husband, and I don't have any way to get him off the floor when he falls. I don't have any way to get him out of bed in the morning or into the bath without his help," Kelly Ruffner said. "I'm asking that you please not punish me and my husband."
Daugherty said he hates for any family to go through this but due to the seriousness of the charge, he could not release Corey Ruffner on his own recognizance and place him on house arrest.
The three suspects are scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing Jan. 27.