Missing Toledo teenager found dead on December 15, 2022

Toledo, Ohio — Update: The following article has been updated to include new information on the cause of death, according to court documents and proceedings made available Tuesday.

Man in custody for kidnapping charged with murder after body found Empty house fire debris Two Toledo teenagers were identified Friday afternoon as missing.

The Lucas County Coroner’s Office identified the bodies found at the December 5 Chase Street arson site as follows: Kemarion Wilder, 16, and Kaishaun Pittman, 15according to Toledo police.

Cruz Garcia, 24, was arrested Thursday and charged with two kidnappings related to the incident. Garcia’s charges were raised to two counts of murder. He remains in custody, and on Tuesday, Dec. 20, he was arraigned on two counts of murder and one of his kidnappings.

His bond was set at $2.25 million.

Between the time the boys were abducted and the fire started, Garcia made “several trips” to the abandoned house area on Chase Street, according to court documents.

Kyshawn and Ke’Marion were reported missing during the day on 5 December and have been missing since 3 December.

On Thursday, Toledo police and FBI agents combed through the rubble of a long-held vacant house on Chase Street near New York Avenue. Fire on the morning of December 5th, two days after the boys were last seen. The house was demolished after the fire.

At a press conference on Friday morning, Toledo Fire Chief Allison Armstrong explained the situation about the first fire.

crew Entered the Chase Street house when it caught fire on December 5thbut the firefighters turned back after falling down the stairs of the house and injuring themselves.

Armstrong said firefighters were able to search the first and second floors of the house before turning back, but access to the basement was unsafe.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Toledo police said at a press conference Thursday that it was arson. Lieutenant Dan Gerken provided an update on the search For missing boys.

Investigation into the disappearance of Kaishaun and Kemerion Led to the scene of Chase Street“We got there based on evidence and evidence provided by community members and eyewitnesses,” Gerken said at a press conference.

Two bodies were found in the rubble of the house.

Gerken has announced the arrest and indictment of two individuals in connection with the boys’ disappearance. Garcia was arrested Thursday in two counts of kidnapping that were sanctioned by the public prosecutor’s office based on evidence.

Garcia’s friend Diamond Rivera was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly providing a false alibi, making him the fourth person arrested for obstructing an investigation this week. Disappearance of Kaishaun and Kemerion.

Ma’Aliya Nino, Ke’Marion’s sister, said the three other people arrested on Tuesday were family members of Ke’Marion’s girlfriend.

It is not yet revealed how Garcia knew about Kaishaun and Kemerion.

Court documents allege that Garcia assaulted, tied up, and kidnapped the boys. , police claim he went to an area of ​​vacant houses on Chase Street “several times.”

Toledo police said Friday afternoon that the coroner had positively identified the bodies as Kemerion and Kayshaun, after which the charges against Garcia were upgraded to two counts of murder.

On Tuesday morning, the Lucas County Coroner’s Office released a statement that an autopsy was performed on Dec. 16, but neither boy’s cause of death has been determined.

However, the cause of death was stated at Garcia’s arraignment hearing Monday morning.

According to Lucas County Deputy Attorney John Arnsby, the cause of death for one victim was strangulation and burns, and the cause of death for the second victim was burns. He also said the coroner’s investigation is still ongoing.

“We are still awaiting further analysis and determination by the coroner,” Arnsby said in court on Tuesday.

According to court documents, the Lucas County coroner’s office ruled that at least one death was a homicide.

Call or email Crime Stoppers at 419-255-1111 if you have information that might help the police. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for cash rewards.

This is a developing story. WTOL 11 on air, online and Free WTOL 11 News App This is the latest we received.