Man shoots and kills a boy for walking on his lawn

Started by Sportsdude, Mar 22 06 10:26

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Sportsdude

   [P class=textBodyBlack][SPAN id=byLine][/SPAN]BATAVIA, Ohio - A man who neighbors say was devoted to his meticulously kept lawn was charged with murder in the shooting of a 15-year-old boy who apparently walked across his yard.

 [P class=textBodyBlack][SPAN id=byLine][/SPAN]Charles Martin called 911 on Sunday afternoon, saying calmly: "I just killed a kid."

 [P class=textBodyBlack][SPAN id=byLine][/SPAN]Police, who released the call's contents, said Martin also told the dispatcher: "I've been harassed by him and his parents for five years. Today just blew it up."

 [P class=textBodyBlack][SPAN id=byLine][/SPAN]Larry Mugrage, whose family lived next door, was shot in the chest with a shotgun. The high school freshman was pronounced dead at a hospital.

 [P class=textBodyBlack][SPAN id=byLine][/SPAN]Martin, 66, allegedly told police he had several times had problems with neighbors walking on his lawn. He remained jailed without bond Monday. His jailers said no attorney was listed for him.

 [P class=textBodyBlack][SPAN id=byLine][/SPAN]Neighbors said Martin lived alone quietly, often sitting in front of his one-story home with its neat lawn, well-trimmed shrubbery and flag pole with U.S. and Navy flags flying.

 [P class=textBodyBlack][SPAN id=byLine][/SPAN]Joanne Ritchie, 46, said Mugrage was known as "a good kid," but she always also considered Martin to be friendly.

"We can't stop here. This is bat country."

Sportsdude

[SPAN class=headline]Union Twp. Man Charged In Teen's Murder[/SPAN]

  [SPAN class=byline]Reported by: [A href="vny!://www.cincinow.com/wcpo/bios/"]Tom McKee, 9News[/A]
Web produced by: [A href="vny!://www.cincinow.com/wcpo/bios/"]Neil Relyea[/A]
Photographed by: [A href="vny!://www.cincinow.com/wcpo/bios/"]9News[/A]
First posted: 3/19/2006 9:20:30 PM
Last Updated: 3/20/2006 2:38:30 PM [/SPAN][!-- End By-Lines --] [SPAN class=bodytext][!-- ------------------- --][!-- ------------------- --][!-- Begin Story Content --][!-- ------------------- --][!-- ------------------- --]A Union Township man has been charged with murder after a fatal shooting in Clermont County Sunday afternoon.   Police say the shooting victim was 15-year-old Larry Mugrage, a freshman at Glen Este High School.   Charles Martin, 66, was taken into police custody at the scene.   The shooting took place just after 3 p.m. in the [A href="vny!://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=800+Hawthorne+Dr,+Cincinnati,+OH+45245" target=_blank]800 block of Hawthorne Drive[/A] in Union Township, a street that doesn't have sidewalks.   Witnesses say the teenager was shot because he stepped in Martin's yard as he was walking down the street.   Police say Mugrage was shot twice with a shotgun.   A neighbor rushed out to help the teen with CPR.   The teen was transported to Mercy Anderson Hospital, but did not survive.   Martin's call to 911    [img height=13 alt="" src="vny!://www.cincinow.com/img/icons/trans_audioicon.gif" width=20 align=absMiddle border=0] [A href="vny!://www.wcpo.com/video/podcast/mp3/2006/03/noon_20060320_911tape.mp3" target=_blank]Listen to Martin's 911 call[/A]   Martin: I just killed a kid.
Dispatcher: You just killed a kid?
Martin: Yes ma'am.
Dispatcher: Okay, what happened?
Martin: It's been going on for five years.
Dispatcher: What's going on?
Martin: I've been being harassed by him and his parents for five years. Today just blew it up.
Dispatcher: What is your name, sir?
Martin: Charles Martin.
Dispatcher: Okay, what happened, tell me what happened, Charles.
Martin: Kid's just been giving me a bunch of sh**, making the other kids harass me and my place, tearing things up.
Dispatcher: Okay, so what'd you do?
Martin: I shot him with a 410 shotgun twice.
Dispatcher: You shot him with a shotgun? Where is he?
Martin: He's laying in his yard.   More about Larry Mugrage   9News was told that Mugrage was a straight-A student, loved to play soccer and was well-liked by his neighbors.   His parents, Larry and Anita Mugrage, were out of town in Marietta, Ohio, at a family reunion when the shooting occurred.   A court appearance is set for Monday and the case is expected to be presented to a Clermont County grand jury on Wednesday.   Police say Martin is retired from the Ford Motor Company.   Police say he admitted to them that he shot the teen, but did not tell them why he did it.   Martin has no prior record.

 

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Charles Martin, of Union Twp.
(WCPO/WCPO.com)

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Witnesses say teen stepped into Martin's front yard
(WCPO/WCPO.com)

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15-year-old shooting victim
(WCPO/WCPO.com)

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Trista Moss, knew victim
(WCPO/WCPO.com) [/PICTURE.TABLE][!-- End Breakout Pictures --][/FONT][!-- Leave these br tags for correct space --]

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"We can't stop here. This is bat country."