Teen murderer denied parole
23-year-old must serve until 2013By CHRISTOPHER BOBBY Tribune Chronicle
POSTED: November 19, 2008
WARREN - A one-time teenage murderer who toted around a sawed-off shotgun and led a young gang of ninja-dressed bandits was denied parole Tuesday.
Trumbull County prosecutors got word that Christopher Ferrell, now age 33, must continue to serve prison time until at least 2013.
Ferrell, who is behind bars in Mansfield Correctional Institution, was sentenced to life in prison with three concurrent 10- to 25-year sentences for the February 1992 murder of Douglas Lash of Newton Township.
Ferrell, formerly of Mineral Ridge, was 17 when he was arrested and bound over to a grand jury as an adult before taking a plea agreement in the case.
Police said his gang pulled off home invasions in western Pennsylvania, Portage, Geauga and Trumbull counties. Lash, the 19-year-old victim, had walked in on a break-in at the home he shared with his father.
Ferrell also was charged as a juvenile for terrorizing an elderly, deaf woman with a shotgun in Geauga County.
Assistant Prosecutor LuWayne Annos said Ferrell used a .22 semi-automatic pistol to shoot Lash execution style in the living room and then forced 13-year-old Thomas Elsmore to shoot Lash a second time with a .380 caliber handgun that had been purchased from Ferrell.
Elsmore, labeled the youngest killer ever in Trumbull County, could not be tried as an adult and was sentenced to serve time until he reached age 21.
''As one of the original prosecutors in this case, I can say without hesitation that Christopher Ferrell is wholly unworthy of any grant of parole. He accumulated an impressive - if not staggering - criminal history before killing Douglas Lash,'' Annos wrote in a letter to the parole board opposing a release.
''He expressed no remorse for this killing. And, in fact, tired to get Elsmore to take full responsibility for the shooting because he was only 13 and too young to be tried as an adult,'' Annos wrote.
Member Comments
View Comments: | 1-25 |26-43 | Post a comment
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DEEDEE
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11-26-08 10:42 AM
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I hope that this will be the beginning to your family's healing. A simple apology can do wonders for a person's soul. Nothing can ever undo what occurred, but perhaps a dialogue can help to replace the sadness and hurt. Then we can relive the happy memories and celebrate Doug's life instead of the shocking tragedy that was his death.
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Hickey
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11-24-08 10:24 PM
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It is not the prison system at all that can change a person, nor can any one person. We can only influence people's decisions. Only the person themselves can change if they TRUELY want to bad enough. Even God can not change one unless they decide to give themselves to him, it is the choice of faith that he gave us with free will to make those choices. It happened and he was that monster you speak of, but the question is, is he still? I can feel that his family did not encourage his behavior in the past, and with that being said, I hope they do not take on any blame in any way for it. I will tell you that everything happens for a reason, as I believe much of this conversation has a reason to it. I pray for everyone's peace and serenity all the time.
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DEEDEE
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11-24-08 3:30 PM
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Thank you - I would like to think I made a difference in his life but the truth of it is he made the difference in mine. He is one of the gentlest, most sincere, loving human beings I have ever known. If you were to see him interact with his step children, you would know that there is no way he could ever be the monster these statements purport him to be. Prior to becoming reacquainted, I was very hard in my beliefs on the prison system. Now I know that people CAN change their lives and ways even in the worst of conditions. I pray for your family's healing
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ForgiveThemFather
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11-23-08 2:15 AM
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A lot of people failed Chris, but, in the end, he failed himself. He truly has more pain and regret than I can tell you. I truly am sorry for your loss, there are a lot of people who wish they had done things differently. I think the main reason chris wants the dialogue is for the mistakes he made, truth to be told, and for wishing for 17 years he had turned to your family and spoke that day in court. I won't comment anymore, and Hickey, I truly hope you do find it in your heart to do the dialogue. God Bless.
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Hickey
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11-23-08 1:35 AM
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DEEDEE I have respect for you. You present yourself in an honest manner. It sounds to me like you could have made more of a difference in his life if you could have gotten thru to him and I hope that you have continued in life trying to help others make sure they didn't make the same kind of mistake your friend did.
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DEEDEE
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11-23-08 12:34 AM
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what you say is true - everyone involved, especially Doug, was failed in some way. I pray you will find the healing you seek, and I hope that Doug's parents find it in their hearts to at least try to find closure by having a dialogue with Chris as well. When this happened, it broke my heart to think that a young man's life was cut short. It was even worse for me when I found out someone I know so well could be involved. Again I am truly sorry for your loss
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Hickey
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11-22-08 11:25 PM
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One of the biggest things that concerns me on these forums is that so many people get on here and spit out comments both for sympathy and against the criminals both ways, but it seems like nobody cares about doing anything to support preventing others from committing them before they happen. It appears that the government needs to do something about providing easily affordable help for people to prevent them from taking lives before it happens. I can tell you I am not one of them, I have got 2 gangsters to give up their rags and taught them how to live a legit happy life (and I will tell you it was not easy for them or me). I have also saved the lives of about 5 people literally. I wish more people would be a part of the solution. It seems like crime is on the rise and people are getting afraid to even go out in public. I find it odd that we all pay tax money for those in prison but do very little to prevent them from going in the first place.
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Hickey
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11-22-08 11:12 PM
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It is interesting to know that legally he, and probably his family and friends as well are advised not to inquire with the victums familys first, as it would be seen as harrasment or something like that. I was never aware this happens in this situation. I know there was no remorse after and wonder if there was from the time it happened up to 1999 when he requested to do the dialogue. I can tell you his mother and father of course have had a rough time and still do every day having lost their only son and doubt they would be interested in the dialogue. I hung out with him all the time, but I would like to hear what happened and what he has to say. I do want to know his motivations however. I will be looking into the dialogue process.
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Hickey
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11-22-08 10:51 PM
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OK, first off I want to apologize to the family member making the comments. You did not announce yourself as a family member but have said enough to make that clear at this point. I put no blame on any of the family members of these 4 because I feel that once a person is of the age to know right from wrong and understand morals it is no longer the parents responsibility of their actions with the exception of if the child comes to the parent and asks for help (at least this is my opinion). I am also attentive to details like the fact that Chris got a public defender confirms the point that getting the help he needed was not affordable. It also plays part in my opinion that the other three got off with nothing (probably because they could actually afford an attorney). I agree that aspect of the other three getting off with nothing really ticks me off.
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ForgiveThemFather
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11-22-08 8:29 PM
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and, theres a big difference between adults, 25, 21, hanging around with a 16 yr old, corrupting and using him, to a 16 and 13 yr old who were friends. Big difference. I don't want to make escuses, they are irrelevant - but, again, i would beg of you, for every one's sake - do the dialogue.
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DEEDEE
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11-22-08 8:25 PM
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If your that curious go talk to him
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ForgiveThemFather
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11-22-08 8:21 PM
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Chris wrote a letter in 1999 trying to do victim's dialogue, the letter answered is by 'Karen Ho", and she stated - 'Only the victim's side can ask for a dialogue, sorry.' This is far from recent, just now, we have a means to speak to you, through this - chris is not allowed by law to contact you first. He was young and listened to his attorney
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ForgiveThemFather
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11-22-08 8:16 PM
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I can answer your question about court. He was told by that public defender to stay quiet, not to say a word. I know cause I was also there. For anything else, I am unable to relate facts, you have a set from teens making sure they wouldnt do a day in prison by blaming chris for everything, then you have a lie detector test done by the state, that disproves a lot of it. You know why it wasn't allowed to be used - prosecutor said no.
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Hickey
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11-22-08 7:50 PM
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BTW, I was at the court as he was sentenced. I did not hear him turn to us and say he made a mistake and was sorry for what happened. I have a big question here for you: What is the reason he wants to talk to me now? What is the motivation? I am not going to speculate the answer to that one, but I am really curious why he would want to now.
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Hickey
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11-22-08 7:45 PM
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and the "excuse" of peer pressure from older adults applies directly with my comment of bringing along a 13 yr old to do the dirty work. So to say one who complains he was influenced into wrong before that by older kids, but yet allows the same thing to happen to one younger than him sounds a bit hypocritical with a total lack of empathy.
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Hickey
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11-22-08 7:38 PM
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Like I said, regardless of if those were committed before or after, it is irrelevant. If he showed remorse he would have turned himself in. And yes, I am who I say I am, and yes I choose not to remember the date I lost him, I choose not to dwell on it each year it comes around, I choose not to even try to remember how young Doug was when he left us. I choose not to remember who it was who covered him up with the sheet, or remember watching the taped confessions which mentioned nothing of what you speak of. If you think me listening to what he has to say would change my views of his remorse, I don't see how if all these things are true the parole board denied him. I mean really, you are trying to tell me someone who wanted help and didn't even want to go that night was the one who shot him. Explain how that makes sense, or how he could not come up with the money to help himself from his share of all the looting they did.
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ForgiveThemFather
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11-22-08 6:11 PM
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Hickey, chris was arrested feb 27, 1992 - you don't even know when this happened? And you claim to know facts? Those dates where over a year after this took place. If you truly are a cousin, or if not, anyone wanting to - chris really wants to do the dialogue.
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JusAnotherObserver
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11-22-08 5:58 PM
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those dates you speak of are docket dates, not date of events, the other cases in ferrell's past were 4 months before your loss. i know he stopped hanging around the older two, 25 and 21 - oh, you probably dont even know about them... the ones who took a 16 yr old out and got him drunk and high, took him to these houses - they aren't ever even mentioned
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JusAnotherObserver
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11-22-08 5:54 PM
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ok, just couldn't stay quiet any longer. I did time, almost 10 yrs, yeah, knew ferrell from the other point you state - you have no idea, this guy, he lives to find peace with that night - i think you would be surprised if the staff and ppl from manci could speak up here, this kid, now a man, has just - idk, im sure though, he hates himself for not stopping things that night. i dont understand, why not do the dialogue, i know ferrell wrote many letters trying to do it, but he wasnt allowed.
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ForgiveThemFather
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11-22-08 5:41 PM
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And yes, Chris tried to go into Belemont Pines a month before this happened - asking for help - and lost - but, his mother's insurance wouldn't cover it. So much you should know, so much healinig needs to be done, only learning the whole truth will do so. Chris IS remorseful, to a point you wouldn't beleive. But, again, one phone call, one trip, the truth is before you.
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ForgiveThemFather
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11-22-08 5:37 PM
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I would only suggest you do the dialog. It would answer all your questions, all of them. I could set a lot of the facts straight, but why, you don't want the truth - I can tell you this, Chris never told Elsmore to do a thing, never sold him the gun, and, by witness account, tried to not go that night. It's hard for a 16 year old to tell all his friends no. If you REALLY want to know, do the dialogue.
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Hickey
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11-22-08 5:23 PM
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My question to you 2 be it family or friends is: Is he playing you the same way he tried to use a 13 yr old to get what he wanted done without wanting to take responsibility for his actions? Obviously he did a good job at that if you tell me if you ask Elsmore today, he would say he did no wrong. Do I blame him for Elsmore's actions as well, No, but he sure as heck didn't put any good influence in there. They all influenced each other in negative ways and not one of them was man enough to say "hey wait guys, this is messed up and we can't take thing to these levels". Or man enough to stand up and confess what they did until they got caught. Ohhh the nieve part, take for instance the poor Fife boy. That murderer tried to plead that he was retarded, yet was caught studying law and his case in his cell.
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Hickey
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11-22-08 3:14 PM
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The truth of the matter is if I went to talk to him I probably would get a "story" of remorse as do you being his friends and family. Now if you let me go in without him knowing I was there to listen to one of his old gangsters ninja types talking to him like he was cool for what he did, I bet I would hear how he really feels about it. No I am not going to be like everyone else on here and post for you the definitions of the words remorse or naive either.
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Hickey
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11-22-08 3:05 PM
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Now you see, I have been watching to see when his parole was up and the ohio inmate website shows that his crimes on my cousin were dated as 3-12-93 and the crimes in Geauga were 3-26-93. And seeing as how he didn't feel enough remorse to turn himself in and it took them weeks with us not even knowing who it was who killed him, the dates make sense and those facts tell a lot. So they are not my facts that are incorrect. If the prison records are, then maybe you want to let them know. But regardless of those other counts against him, he did not turn himself in. You know what it was like to wonder if it was one of his ex-girlfriends, an old enemy, or just plain wondering who did it until they found out.
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ForgiveThemFather
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11-22-08 12:42 AM
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One last word, before you dismiss it, pray. Please don't allow hate to stop God from healing your heart. Go and do the dialogue, and if after everything you know is truth, I will never again preach to anyone, but - I believe in this one.
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