Police look for help in 3 city slayings

9/7/2002

Toledo police are seeking information through the Crime Stopper program about three murders that occurred last month. Also, they are waiting for the caller with information on the July 23 murder of David K. Branstutter, Jr., to retrieve a $2,000 reward.

Andrea Daniels, 35, of Batavia Street was killed Aug. 1 when two black men carrying guns burst through a back door of the lower unit of a duplex at 348 Batavia and opened fire about 3:30 p.m.

The men, who were wearing bandanas to cover their faces, confronted Ms. Daniels and a male acquaintance to whom she was showing the lower unit, which she owned. The acquaintance escaped by jumping through a living-room window. Ms. Daniels was shot in the back, and the bullet went through her right lung, authorities said.

On Aug. 26, Charles Garrett, 27, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest at his residence, 2101 Hawthorne St. The shooting occurred about 8:40 p.m. inside the house. Police found Garrett bleeding and lying unconscious on the walk in front of his residence. A revolver was found nearby.

Garrett was in the house with several acquaintances when a man wearing a mask entered through a back door and shot Garrett and one of two pit bulls at the residence. Police are looking for three suspects, all of whom were black males wearing masks.

Three days later, Willie J. McMillan, 35, of Oak Street was shot in a parking lot near 270 Weiler Homes during a drug transaction about 3:30 a.m. He drove away and crashed a station wagon in the front yard of 820 Stillman St. He died of a single gunshot wound to the abdomen, authorities said.

McMillan was talking with an unidentified man when the conversation broke up and McMillan returned to the station wagon. The man he was talking with shot McMillan as he sat in the vehicle. McMillan drove himself and several acquaintances to Stillman, where the vehicle crashed. Emergency personnel found McMillan suffering from a gunshot wound.

All the suspects fled on foot. The suspect in McMillan's death was described as being black, in his 30s, with a shaved head.

Anyone with information about the murders is asked to call the Crime Stopper program at 419-255-1111. Callers may remain anonymous and are eligible for a cash reward.