Police attempted stingwith alleged kidnappers
A search warrant from July 2019 thatwas unsealed Wednesdayby a federalmagistrate revealed that Dayton Police attempted to conduct a sting by setting up a drop with alleged kidnappers of Kwasi Casey.
The search warrant said the drop went wrong when a store owner picked up the empty bag instead and the kidnapperswere alertedthat police were involved.
Authorities eventually found Casey’s remains in September 2019 in a Dayton garage on Fountain Avenue that had burned to the groundin afire consideredto be suspicious. The remains were identifiedOct. 12, 2019,
as Casey by the MontgomeryCounty Coroner’s Office.
Fivemen have been federally charged in the kidnapping conspiracy, according to United States prosecutors. They are Eric Blackshear, Markale Thomas, Devon Love, Ryan Reese and Antoine Dye.
The search warrant affidavit is written by a special agent withFBI. It says the FBI and Dayton Police worked together to investigate the kidnapping and abduction of Casey, which took place at around7:30p.m. July 7, 2019.
The search warrant says Dayton Police responded to Casey’s address on the 2000 block of Hilary Avenue for a report of a kidnapping.
“Upon arrival, DPD homicide detectives learned through a witness, whowas with Casey at the time of the abduction, that Casey was abducted outside of his residence while walking to his vehicle from the residence,” the search warrant says. “Thewitness statedthat she observed a red car pull up in front of the residence on Hillary and stop. Witness further observed the passenger exit the red vehicle. Witness observed the passenger display a silver handgun. At this time, the witness fled into a nearbywoods and lost sight of Casey. Once witness returned, witness observed what appeared to be blood near Casey’s vehicle.”
Investigators also observed blood, the search warrant says. Afew hours later, a familymember began receiving a series of phone calls from a cellular device demanding moneyinexchangeforCasey, the search warrant says.
“During these calls, the caller ... stated that they would kill Casey if their demands were not complied with,” thewarrant says.
Thekidnappersdemanded $80,000 be placed under a street light in front of a business on West Hillcrest Avenue, according to the affidavit.
“DPD homicide detectives arrangedforthemoneydrops by placing an empty bag at the location requestedby the kidnappers. Shortly thereafter, anindividualapproached the business, picked up the bag and entered the business. DPD homicide detectives later learned that this individual was the store owner. Subsequent to the store owner taking the bag intothebusiness, kidnappers called Casey’s family member and (stated) that they observed the store owner pick up the bag. Kidnappers stated theywere aware that thefamilyinvolvedthepolice and the kidnappershungup the phone.”
Daytonpolicewere able to get a ping that told officers the calls were coming from the greaterDayton area, but not an exact location, the search warrant says.
In a prosecutor’s press release announcing the indictmentof thefivepeople, it said, “Mr. Casey was taken to one of the defendant’s homes, where he was held against his will and beaten with a baseball bat.”
“The indictment details that Casey escaped on July 8, 2019, butwas recaptured and forced into a co-conspirator’s minivan, where the victim was again physically assaulted. It is alleged Mr. Casey ultimately died as a result of the defendants’ actions,” prosecutors said.
The men are due back in court on Jan. 6 for a scheduling conference.
The Dayton Daily News left amessage seeking comment from Dayton Police.