Man charged in shooting death
$1M bond set
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MESOPOTAMIA -- A man appeared in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Wednesday to face charges in connection to what is believed to be the township's first shooting death in almost 60 years.
Douglas Day, 23, of Roaming Shores, was charged in a procedure known as a prosecutor's complaint in the late Tuesday night shooting death of Cathryn Lambert, 48, and the wounding of her daughter, Tiffany Lambert, 26. He appeared before Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Peter J. Kontos, who set bond at $1 million.
Day was charged with one count each of aggravated murder and attempted aggravated murder. He was represented by public defender David Rouzzo at Wednesday's arraignment.
An affidavit written by Sheriff's Detective Michael E. Yannucci accompanied the prosecutor's complaint, detailing the whole chain of events. According to the affidavit, Day and Tiffany Lambert were living together in an apartment at 4383 Kinsman Road (state Route 87) and Tiffany called her mother asking to be picked up following an argument with Day, who she said had been drinking.
When Cathryn arrived, Day followed Tiffany outside with 9 mm and 45-caliber handguns, firing at least 13 times at his girlfriend and her mother, the affidavit states. Tiffany suffered gunshot wounds to her left shoulder and lower left side, while Cathryn suffered a wound to the left side of her neck. Cathryn drove across the street through two fences and into the porch of a home at 4398 Kinsman Road, where she was pronounced dead by police, the affidavit states.
Tiffany was taken to University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, while Day immediately fled the scene in a green Chrysler Sebring after the shooting, the affidavit states. Police tracked Day to his parents' home at 334 Rome Terrace, Roaming Shores, where Day had fled after calling his mother and saying he "wanted to see his kids," who were staying with Day's parents Tuesday night.
When Day saw the police lights, he ran from the house into the woods, but was captured by police, the affidavit states. During a confession, Day said his relationship with Tiffany had been volatile for six years, and said he went to his mother's house to see her and his kids "one last time," the affidavit states.
Dennis Wildman, 70, who lives across from the scene of the shooting, said he was falling asleep on his couch when his wife heard the shooting. Looking outside, Wildman saw Tiffany Lambert standing on the sidewalk shouting for help.
"It's just quite a shock, it's such a quiet neighborhood," Wildman said.
Asking what happened, Wildman was told by Lambert that she and her mother had been shot and asked Wildman to call 911 using his cordless phone, which he said was between 11:15 and 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. Wildman added he has lived in Mesopotamia for 70 years and has never seen anything like the shooting on Tuesday night.
Eli Miller, 83, was asleep at the time of the incident, and said he thought he heard thunder, but it later turned out to be gunshots. The home Cathryn's car drove into belongs to Ida Byler, whose 86-year-old mother lives with her at the address, according to Miller.
"I've been in Mespo for over 60 years and I don't remember anything happening like this," Miller said.
A preliminary hearing for Day has been scheduled May 5 before Kontos. That could change if Day is indicted by a Trumbull County grand jury.
Reporter Guy Vogrin contributed to this story.
ddye@tribtoday.com