BUTLER COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT

Teens accused in alpaca beating death get separate trials

Both Madison Twp. teens plead not guilty; a Madison Twp. woman faces trial in September for her alleged role.

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By Lauren Pack, Staff Writer Updated 11:00 PM Tuesday, June 15, 2010

HAMILTON — Two Madison Twp. teens accused of fatally beating a baby alpaca after it was snatched from a Browns Run Road farm will have separate trials.

Nicholas Reynolds, 17, of Dickey Road, and Marcus Miller, 18, of Trenton-Franklin Road, were arraigned Tuesday, June 15, in Butler County Common Pleas Court on felony charges of breaking and entering, tampering with evidence, vandalism and grand theft, and a second-degree misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals. They both entered not guilty pleas.

The teens and Stacie Mullins, 23, of Kalbfleisch Road in Madison Twp., are accused in the theft and beating of a 3-month-old alpaca named Masterpiece, valued at $8,000, reported stolen Feb. 19. Authorities said the animal was beaten, put in a truck and dumped in an abandoned barn.

Paris Ellis, attorney for Reynolds, requested a separate trial for his client.

“They made statements implicating the other,” Ellis said of the accused pair.

Assistant Prosecutor Brad Burress agreed the defendants made incriminating statements against each other and could not be fairly tried together.

Judge Keith Spaeth set a 1 p.m. June 29 hearing, at which time he is expected to set the trial dates.

A Sept. 21 trial was set Monday afternoon by Judge Patricia Oney for Mullins, who is charged with complicity to breaking and entering, complicity to theft and tampering with evidence, all felonies; and complicity to cruelty to animals, a second-degree misdemeanor.

The youths were both 17 at the time of the crime for which they are accused, but will be tried as adults after Butler County Juvenile Court Judge Kathleen Romans relinquished their cases to adult court.

All three defendants are free on bond.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2168 or lpack@coxohio.com.

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