5th suspect sought in slaying of CrossFit gym owner

From top, left, Deitrekk Boone, Chad Brown, Devonte Harris, bottom, left, Jason Kuhns, Matthew Managhan.

The last suspect in a band of five, all charged with some role in the robbery and shooting death of a local gym owner, continues to elude Toledo police.

Deitrekk Boone, 19, of 1416 Beecham St., charged with aggravated murder and aggravated robbery, was not in custody Thursday night.

Mr. Boone and four other Toledo men are accused of having varying roles in the robbery and death of Joseph Lengel, Jr., 57, who owned Intensity CrossFit Gym in South Toledo.

Held in the Lucas County jail on Thursday, charged with aggravated murder and aggravated robbery, were Devonte Harris, 19, of 1326 Gordon St., and Jason Kuhns, 31, also of the Beecham address.

During a Thursday morning appearance in Toledo Municipal Court, each was ordered to be held in the jail in lieu of $1.5 million bond.

Also held in the jail in lieu of $500,000 bond on a charge of aggravated robbery was Matthew Managhan, 34, of 1156 South Ave.

Chad D. Brown, 35, of 839 Walbridge Ave. was arrested Thursday afternoon on a charge of aggravated robbery; he will appear in court today.

During a news conference Thursday, police Sgt. Joe Heffernan said, “Mr. Lengel appears to have been an innocent victim in this.”

It does not appear, police said, that any of the suspects knew Mr. Lengel. Police declined to say why the suspects were drawn to the remote location, 757 Warehouse Rd., the morning Mr. Lengel was killed, other than to say the men had planned a robbery.

“They felt there was obviously going to be some type of payoff from doing this robbery, and it didn’t turn out the way they planned,” Sergeant Heffernan said.

Toledo police Capt. Wes Bombrys said investigators know what was taken from Mr. Lengel, though they declined to elaborate.

Mr. Lengel arrived at his gym early on Nov. 19. Police said he was approached by three men — Mr. Kuhns, Mr. Boone, and Mr. Harris — two of them armed with guns, and robbed by the trio.

“We believe he resisted the robbery, and during the course of the robbery, he was shot and killed,” Captain Bombrys said.

A gym patron, who dialed 911, found Mr. Lengel’s body at 5:56 a.m. Mr. Lengel was pronounced dead at the University of Toledo Medical Center, the former Medical College of Ohio.

An autopsy showed that Mr. Lengel was shot once, with a shotgun, in the left side of his chest.

Police declined to say who they suspect was the shooter.

A surveillance camera at the Warehouse Road plaza captured at least some part of the crime, though police declined to say what or whom the footage showed.

“It [the video] was helpful,” Sergeant Heffernan said.

Police said investigators are still trying to determine how the suspects are acquainted.

The men all have addresses in the same South Toledo neighborhood, near the site of the former Libbey High School; two of the suspects share an address, according to court records.

Other than a Facebook friendship between Mr. Davis and Mr. Boone, no conclusive relationships have been drawn.

Court documents allege that Mr. Brown and Mr. Managhan “did organize, plan, and participate in the aggravated robbery of the victim.”

“We have a pretty clear picture of how it went down and how it came about,” Captain Bombrys said, declining to explain.

Captain Bombrys said Mr. Brown and Mr. Managhan were not at the crime scene that morning.

A Toledo police incident report states that, on Nov. 27, at 8:30 p.m., a team of police searched a North Toledo home to which Mr. Brown has some affiliation.

Police searched 344 E. Streicher St. looking for evidence related to the slaying,

According to the incident report, no one was home when police arrived; officers reported that they entered through an unlocked front door.

From the home, police took a bag filled with tools and a book bag with a “game box” inside, according to the report.

The report does not indicate how long officers were inside the home.

When a reporter went to the house last week, no one answered the door, although a light was on in a front room. Neighbors either declined knowing anyone who lived there or denied witnessing the search.

At least two other homes were searched during the investigation, police said.

Police reported searching the Gordon Street residence Wednesday, confiscating an unspecified type of ammunition. Police also searched 3417 Anderson Pkwy., an address associated with Mr. Managhan.

It was not clear whether anything was taken.

Police declined to discuss any of the seized evidence or anything found at the scene.

“It was really a case of good old-fashioned police work,” Sergeant Heffernan said. “There was some evidence we were able to recover; one thing led to another.”

Police do not anticipate any additional suspects — though the investigation is ongoing — and said more charges could be filed.

Sergeant Heffernan said and Mr. Boone should be considered dangerous.

Anyone who sees him or has information on his whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111.

Contact Taylor Dungjen at: tdungjen@theblade.com or 419-724-6054 or onTwitter @tdungjen_Blade.