Coroner’s office IDs man found shot to death

Santorum to visit Warren County
2/12/12
Benefit dinner held for girl  who died in car accident
2/12/12
Suburbs looking for ways to save, focus on regional issues
2/12/12
Victim of human trafficking speaks to students
2/12/12
Bullying law brings rule changes
2/12/12
> More headlines

By Angela Watson Gay, Katherine Ullmer and Dave Larsen
Staff Writers Updated 9:56 PM Tuesday, December 1, 2009

DAYTON — The shooting death of a 41-year-old Dayton man Monday night, Nov. 30, pushed the city’s homicides to 39 this year, two more than last year’s total.

Dayton police don’t have a motive in the killing of Duane Wilkes, of 604 Lexington Ave.

“We are not certain that the victim was the intended target of this shooting,” Detective Sgt. Gary White said Tuesday, Dec. 1.

While Dayton has seen a total of 39 slayings this year, three were ruled self-defense by the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, said Lt. Pat Welsh.

“The number of deaths is running consistent with last year,” he said.

The city has averaged 32 homicides yearly since 2004, according to FBI and Dayton Police Department data.

Nearly 50 percent of this year’s homicides were drug-related, Welsh said, with the majority of those involving marijuana.

Organized group or gang-related homicides are down to 29 percent from an average of 32 percent over the past five years, Welsh said.

Police continue to investigate the slaying of Wilkes, who was found shot in his home after police were dispatched to the 600 block of Lexington at 11:07 p.m. Monday on a report of shots fired in an alley.

Wilkes was pronounced dead at 11:19 p.m., said Jim Glaser, Montgomery County coroner’s investigator.

According to White, the shooting could have been a botched robbery attempt or retaliation for some unknown motive.

“Multiple shots were fired into the room where the victim and other people were seated,” he said. “By the nature of the spray pattern of the shooting we can not determine right now if the victim was the intended target.”

Police have a general description of the shooter, but have made no arrests and have no known suspects, White said.

Evidence from the scene will provide police with the type and caliber of the weapon used, White said.

Wilkes lived alone at the address. Two other people, including a relative, were with him at the time of the shooting, White said.

There was nothing in Wilkes’ personal history to indicate that he would be targeted for violence, White said.

Wilkes had no criminal history in Montgomery County, according to the county Clerk of Courts.

Share this article