Robert Fields was shot to death during a robbery of an apartment on Village Street.
Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser said two individuals were prosecuted at that time for the robbery, but not charged with the murder. A friend of Field’s identified a person as the alleged shooter; however, he was incorrect.
“The prosecution was just on the cusp of beginning the trial against the person (the friend) had identified, and (then Butler County Prosecutor John) Holcomb realized that was not the person,” said Gmoser. “It was confirmed by two other people, ones who were found guilty of the robbery. They confirmed that it was not the person who shot Fields.”
Then, for unknown reasons, the case remained dormant for nearly 30 years until a detective at the Hamilton Police Department reviewed it. Gmoser said the detective brought to his office’s attention that Whitehead, who had eventually been identified as the possible shooter, was never charged.
The convicted robbers had identified Whitehead as the alleged shooter.
Though they recently rushed to get an indictment on Whitehead, who was still in prison for a previous crime, he was released.
The Hamilton detective worked with the prosecutor’s office to find “three crucial witnesses and garner their cooperation,” said assistant prosecuting attorney Kraig Chadrick. “Their testimony established that Whitehead was the person who shot and killed Robert Fields.”
Whitehead faces a murder charge with a gun specification, which is an unclassified felony and carries a prison sentence of 15 years to life. The murder charge also comes with a firearms specification, which would add three years to the minimum sentence.
Each felonious assault charge carries a two-to-eight-year sentence.
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