Teen held on $1M bond in fatal robbery
An 18-year-old Montgomery County man charged with conspiring to murder an 18-year-old Centerville man during an alleged botched burglary last month outside Lebanon is expected to remain in the Warren County Jail while awaiting trial.
Judge Robert Peeler continued bond for Dakota Cox, 18, of Washington Twp., Montgomery County, at $1 million.
Cox, who has no prior criminal record, has been in jail since his arrest on Dec. 17.
He is charged with aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, conspiracy, tampering with evidence and possession of criminal tools, according to a list of indictments issued Monday in Warren County Common Pleas Court.
“Even though he has no criminal record, he has unfortunately started off by committing some of the most serious offenses one can commit,” Assistant County Prosecutor Steven Knippen said in urging Peeler to leave the bond at the amount set in Lebanon Municipal Court.
Cox is charged along with Logan Dean and Jacob Hicks, both 16, of Washington Twp.; and Kayla Carmack, 17, of Turtlecreek Twp., in the fatal shooting of Mason Trudics, 18, of Centerville, on Dec. 13 outside Carmack’s home on Oregonia Road, east of Lebanon.
The juveniles are charged with murder and robbery in Warren County Juvenile Court, while awaiting hearings that could result in their cases being transferred to the adult court.
Trudics and the four charged allegedly planned to rob the unidentified shooter.
Instead, the shooter pulled a gun in self-defense and shot Trudics and Dean, according to authorities.
Dean’s family has indicated the shooting stemmed from a romantic dispute involving Carmack, Trudics and the shooter. Lawyers for Cox and Hicks have indicated they weren’t there when the shootings occurred.
On Wednesday, lawyer Jon Paul Rion indicated he would not contest the bond while awaiting the sharing of evidence with prosecutors.
Cox is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 13.