Witness says he saw men leaving North Toledo triple-homicide site

7/11/2008
BY ERICA BLAKE
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Goldy Thompson
Goldy Thompson

The man who called 911 in October, 2006, after hearing gunshots at a boarded-up home at 410 Ohio St. testified yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court that he saw two men leaving the house - one black and one white.

Kenneth Geno was a defense witness on the last day of testimony in the aggravated murder trial of Goldy Thompson.

Thompson, 31, and his brother, Stoney Thompson, 28, were charged with the slayings of Kenneth Nicholson, 41; Todd Archambeau, 44, and Michael York, 44, who were found dead Oct. 24, 2006, inside the home.

Mr. Geno said he was invited to the home by one of the victims to party. When he was about to knock on the door, he heard arguing and four gunshots, he said.

"I saw two males coming out of the house, one white and one black," he said. "When they left, I got on my bike and left."

The testimony matched that of another witness who testified for the state Wednesday that she heard four gunshots coming from the home, then saw a white man running from the house.

She also testified that she saw a man she later identified as Goldy Thompson coming out of the house.

But when each was questioned by county assistant prosecutors, both witnesses admitted they did not observe the white man actually come out of the house.

Mr. Geno said he could not see either man coming out of the door from his vantage point in a neighbor's bushes where he ran to hide.

Stoney Thompson was sentenced June 27 to three consecutive life terms without parole after being convicted by a jury on three counts of aggravated murder.

Law enforcement officials testified Tuesday about the bloody scene at the house, where they responded after receiving a 911 call of shots fired.

All three men were shot and two were stabbed.

During opening statements Tuesday, assistant prosecutors said that two men were responsible for the brutal killings and that the brothers were angry because the three men had stolen drugs and money from Stoney Thompson.

Defense attorney Mark Geudtner countered that the evidence would not prove his client was involved.

Detective Larry Anderson testified as the final witness for the state that the girlfriends of both brothers had been charged with obstructing justice after their stories that they were with the men were proven false. The charges were dropped after the women agreed to testify truthfully.

The trial, before Judge Ruth Ann Franks, is to continue today with closing arguments.

Contact Erica Blake at:

eblake@theblade.com

or 419-213-2134.