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WARREN -- Nazeer S. Buckley, 29, of Oak Street SW in Warren, pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday in the April 19 stabbing death of Billy Anderson, 20, at an apartment on South Feederlee Drive SE.
Buckley was indicted on charges of aggravated murder and felonious assault, but his plea agreement eliminated the felonious assault charge and reduced the potential penalty he faces for the murder compared to aggravated murder.
Family members of Anderson said prosecutors will be recommending that Buckley get 15 years to life in prison. Buckley will be sentenced Oct. 21.
During the hearing, Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Isabella Simon told Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Cynthia Wescott that on the day of the killing, officers were called to South Feederle for a stabbing and found Buckley at the scene and detained him. They found Anderson at the top of the staircase suffering from multiple stab wounds. The knife that was used was located and witnesses identified Buckley as the person who stabbed Anderson during an altercation at the home. Edwards was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Anderson's obituary stated that he lived in Warren and "will be remembered as a fun-loving young man who was always willing to lend a helping hand to others." Family members said earlier that he worked at a Niles extrusion factory.
Anderson's mother and grandmother and other family members said at an earlier hearing that Anderson lived in the apartment where he suffered the fatal wound, but went there that night to confront a woman Anderson was seeing over her relationship with Buckley.
"He was a sweet kid," his grandmother, Pam Headley said. "I just want justice for my son," Anderson's mother, Amy Loudermilt said. "He was a sweet, loving kid. He didn't deserve this."
Buckley does not appear to have had any other felonies in the Warren area before the aggravated murder charge was filed in this case.
LARGE THEFT CASE
In another case Wednesday, Kelly Dingman, 58, of Orwell, was arraigned on one first-degree felony count of aggravated theft, accused of stealing $2.5 million from Leeda Northeast, which has an office on Parkman Road NW in Warren and provides residential, day services and other services to individuals with developmental disabilities, according to the Leeda Northeast website.
Wescott revised Dingman's bond down from the $500,000 set in Warren Municipal Court to $25,000. If Dingman is convicted of aggravated theft, she could get about 10 years in prison.
According to Dingman's Linked-In profile, she worked more than 24 years as director of financial and accounting services for Leeda Northeast.
Warren police filed a felony theft charge against Dingman in Warren Municipal Court Aug. 10, and the charge was bound over to a county grand jury Aug. 18, according to court records. She was booked into the Trumbull County jail Aug. 10 and has remained there since then.
Ed Stark, superintendent of the Trumbull County Board of Developmental Disabilities, said Leeda Northeast provides services to clients of Trumbull DD, but the alleged thefts did not have any impact on the funds of the individuals receiving services from Leeda Northeast or any Trumbull County Board of Developmental Disabilities funds.
PERJURY
Also arraigned Wednesday was Mary Beth Stephenson, 28, of New Castle, Pa. on a third-degree felony charge of perjury. Her indictment alleges she made a false statement under oath June 23. Bond in her case was set at $50,000 Wednesday.
Prosecutors say the false statement took place at the trial of her boyfriend, Justin L. Fry-Starrett, 33, of New Castle, Pa., in June. A jury found Fry-Starrett guilty of felonious assault, domestic violence and failure to comply with the order of a police officer at the end of the trial. Fry-Starrett was later sentenced to 10 to 13.5 years in prison. His charges relate to a felonious assault at a home in Liberty.
During the trial, Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Gabe Wildman called two witnesses to the stand, in addition to the victim, who had to be subpoenaed by the court to testify. Wildman said the woman had been reluctant to cooperate.
If Stephenson is convicted of the perjury charge, she could get several years in prison.