A 15-year-old boy has been charged with murder in Cincinnati this week, accused of gunning down the man charged with beating up his mother, according to police, prosecutors and court records.
Levonte Hyde, 30, of West Price Hill was found shot several times in the 1600 block of Pasadena Avenue in College Hill around 12:45 a.m. Thursday, Cincinnati police say. He was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with life-threatening injuries but died later Thursday morning.
The teen was taken into custody as a person of interest and charged with murder later that day by the Cincinnati Police Homicide Unit, according to a news release. The teen suspect appeared in Hamilton County Juvenile Court Friday where the prosecutor revealed he fired 12 rounds at Hyde.
A magistrate ruled that the teen must stay in the detention center or shelter care pending his next hearing, which is expected to be March 3.
Sometimes juvenile courts will release teens to their parent's custody, but in this case, the court said the teen's return home would be contrary to his best interests and welfare due to the following: Serious allegations and safety of the youth and community.
Hyde was Accused of Domestic Violence by Teen's Mother, Repeatedly Punched Her Hours Before He was Shot
Police spokesman Lt. Jonathan Cunningham and a spokesman for the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office both confirmed Friday that the teen is one of the sons of a woman who accused Hyde of domestic violence.
Court records filed by police Thursday say she and Hyde are the "co-natural parents of two children." The teen, however, is not Hyde's son, according to the prosecutor's spokesman.
A warrant was issued Thursday for Hyde's arrest on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge, according to records on file in Hamilton County Municipal Court.
Police also asked a judge to issue a temporary protection order requiring Hyde to stay away from the woman. An officer referred to her in court records as the "victim" and note that she had visible injuries to her face.
She told police Hyde punched her in the face several times on Thursday as they drove to the store, according to an affidavit. The two began to argue when Hyde called her a vulgar name and then "Hyde then began to hit (the) victim in the face several times with a closed fist while driving," police wrote in the sworn statement.
Hyde Previously Charged with Assaulting Another Woman
Other court records show Hyde was charged with assault and criminal damaging in July 2017. Another woman told Cincinnati police he bit her forearm, leaving visible marks and damaged a TV, wall and door by kicking them at a residence in Lower Price Hill, according to an affidavit.
She refused medical treatment, police wrote in the court record, and the assault charge was dropped against Hyde the following year. He was convicted of the lesser charge in 2018 and sentenced to 90 days in jail with 33 days suspended and credit for 57 days.
The judge also ordered him to stay away from her and pay $110 in fines and $240 in restitution. Hyde was put on probation for 11 months but that was terminated in 2019 when he failed to pay the money owed. It was later paid and he unsuccessfully attempted to have the charge expunged from his record, according to the court docket.
