Last murder suspect sends case to grand jury

Published 9:18 am Thursday, November 30, 2017

The final suspect in a gunfight that left two girls dead sent his case to the grand jury Wednesday.

Ronnie Ellis, 18, of Winchester, is one of four people accused of firing guns during a shooting in the parking lot of Washington Street Apartments Nov. 7.

Ellis, 22-year-old Darian Skinner, 24-year-old Denzel Hill and 23-year-old Matthew Carmen are each charged with two counts of complicity to commit murder. Police said the two victims, 16-year-olds Adrianna Castro and Kayla Holland, were between the two sides of shooters at the apartment complex when they were shot. Holland died at the scene while Castro died later at Clark Regional Medical Center.

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Ellis was scheduled for a preliminary hearing to determine probable cause Wednesday in Clark District Court, but his attorney waived the hearing. The grand jury will decide whether to indict Ellis or dismiss the charges.

During previous court hearings, Winchester Police Sgt. Tom Beall said the shooting followed a verbal argument earlier in the day which included the two victims, Hill, Skinner, Ellis and Mikaela Buford, who was also charged with complicity. There were four other people present for the argument who were not charged.

Police said Buford drove Ellis, Skinner and Hill to the apartment complex that evening and drove one of them away following the shooting. The others fled on foot. Carmen was not present for the verbal altercation, but admitted to firing a gun at the apartments that night.

Carmen’s girlfriend, Julia Richardson, is charged with tampering with physical evidence for allegedly removing a backpack containing ammunition from the scene. Her case was also sent to the grand jury.

About Fred Petke

Fred Petke is a reporter for The Winchester Sun, the Jessamine Journal and the State Journal. His beats include cops, courts, fire, public records, city and county government and other news. To contact Fred, email fred.petke@bluegrassnewsmedia.com or call 859-759-0051.

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