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'Christmas killings' leader to die in July

Marvallous Keene

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By Tom Beyerlein, Staff Writer Updated 3:07 AM Thursday, May 7, 2009

The Ohio Supreme Court has set July 21 as the execution date for Marvallous Keene, who was sentenced to death for his role in the notorious “Christmas killings” of 1992, the worst murder spree in Dayton history.

The court ordered that Keene, 35, be put to death by lethal injection at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility at Lucasville for the so-called thrill killings.

Keene and three accomplices terrorized Dayton between Dec. 24 and Dec. 26, 1992, in a murder and robbery spree that left six dead and two injured over a 60-hour period. Police said the killers were cold-blooded and unrepentent.

“In particular Marvallous Keene had no conscience,” said former Dayton police detective Doyle Burke, who investigated the case. “It was just something to do. This guy deserves to die.”

A three-judge panel convicted Keene of five counts of aggravated murder, plus multiple counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, kidnapping, robbery and burglary in the crime spree.

Keene; his girlfriend, Laura Taylor; DeMarcus Smith and Heather Matthews were part of a gang that called itself the Downtown Posse. Keene was the only one who got the death penalty; the others are serving life sentences for aggravated murder and other felonies.

Keene was convicted of murdering Joseph Wilkerson, 34, who was killed at his home at 3321 Prescott Ave.; Danita Gullette, 18, killed at an outdoor pay phone at 517 Neal Ave.; and Sarah Abraham, 38, killed at her grocery store at 1201 W. Fifth St. When it appeared they would snitch on him, Keene then silenced Wendy Cottrill, 16, and Marvin Washington, 18. Both were killed behind a gravel pile on city property at 1654 Richley Drive. A sixth victim, Richmond Maddox, was killed by Taylor.