Police crack case of Central Avenue shooting, robbery

Full coverage of the Central Ave Shootingastolfi@sanduskyregister.comSandusky police cracked the case of a December robbery and shooting that's reportedly connected to a $500,000 heist from a Detroit casino.The investigation came to a head Friday afternoon, when detectives leveled robbery, assault and attempted murder charges against three local residents. Warrants for two other suspects were also issued.The case revolves around two incidents in December at the Central Avenue home of Janel Koch, 34.Koch and her cousin, Renisha Arrington, 32, were at Koch's home the afternoon of Dec. 15 when two masked man entered the residence and stole a cardboard box containing cash.Koch and Arrington told police there was between $3,000 and $4,000 in the box. Officers would later learn the cash belonged to Arrington, and she'd been storing it at her cousin's house.Police also learned there was "much more" cash in the box than initially reported, but investigators aren't disclosing exact numbers, Sandusky police Sgt. Dana Newell said."Renisha believed that Janel was involved in the large sum of money stolen on Dec. 15," Newell said. "She was pretty much trying to get her money back."Two days after the robbery, one man stormed Koch's home while she was there with her kids. The suspect demanded Arrington's money back, then shot Koch in the chest before fleeing, police said.Arrington had allegedly recruited two men for that job: the alleged shooter, Onaje Kelly, 19, of Third Street, and accomplice David Wells, 32, of Cleveland."We have reason to believe she hired them, but we can't say for sure — parts of the case are still under investigation," Detective Gary Wichman said."There was a lot of double-crossing going on," Newell said. "It was very well orchestrated," Wichman added.In the months since the robbery and shooting, Sandusky police have been working to unravel what Newell deemed a "complex investigation."He said detectives have collected evidence, interviewed numerous people, pored over cell phone records and even recovered some of the cash.The investigation also revealed that Arrington had allegedly acquired the cash through involvement with a significant theft in Michigan."It's connected to a high-profile case in Detroit where a large sum of money was stolen," Newell said.On Nov. 27, just a few weeks prior to the Central Avenue incidents, an estimated $500,000 was stolen from the Greektown Casino in Detroit. A man dressed as a security guard simply approached an armored truck outside the casino, then walked off with the loot.A reliable source told the Register Arrington's cash was part of that heist.Newell is unable to confirm that information, but said Sandusky police have indeed been in communication with Michigan authorities."We are not going to comment on (the casino heist), but we have been in contact with law enforcement agencies from Detroit," Newell said.The FBI was also unable to comment on the matter.On Friday evening, detectives issued charges for Arrington, Kelly and Wells.They also issued warrants for two suspects involved in the initial robbery of the box of cash. One has not yet been named, but another, Fred Collins, 34, Dixon Drive, was arrested later Friday evening. A third robbery suspect, Charles Gibbs, 28, Madison Street, was apprehended in late December.Koch could face charges as well, but she's still recovering from the gunshot wound — police plan to wait until those medical issues are resolved before moving forward.Arrington and Kelly were already being held in the Erie County jail on unrelated cases, so officers traveled there Friday afternoon to serve them with the newly-issued charges.Wells was taken into custody Friday afternoon, and is now behind bars on his charges as well.The suspects in the Dec. 15 robbery are facing counts of aggravated robbery and theft.Kelly is now facing charges of attempted murder, felonious assault and aggravated robbery. Arrington and Wells received complicity to attempted murder, complicity to felonious assault and complicity to aggravated robbery.All three are now being held without bond.ArringtonKellyWells