The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Man charged with murder in October slaying

Suspect arrested in Hamilton fatal shooting

Man drowns in Caesar Creek Lake
Updated 4 min. ago
CHCA students win Math Olympics awards
New 22 min. ago
Lakota to discuss open enrollment proposal
12:30 p.m.
Beach Waterpark sued for failure to deliver
12:25 p.m.
Road closing for railroad repairs
11:51 a.m.
> More headlines

Staff Writer Updated 8:08 AM Wednesday, February 1, 2012

HAMILTON — Four months after the fatal shooting of a 58-year-old man in his home, Hamilton police charged a man with his murder.

Stephan Barnette, 20, whose last known address was on Laurel Avenue, was arrested Tuesday morning in the death of Rickey L. Butler of Fairview Avenue.

On Oct. 6, 2011, Butler was shot multiple times inside his bedroom in the 700 block of Fairview Avenue. He was pronounced dead at Miami Valley Hospital.

Hamilton detectives issued a warrant for Barnette’s arrest on Oct. 7, 2011, stating “(Barnette) purposely caused the death of another.”

It wasn’t until 9:10 a.m. Tuesday that Hamilton detectives and members of the SWAT team apprehended him outside a residence in the 400 block of East Avenue.

A preliminary hearing for Barnette has been set for Feb. 9 in Hamilton Municipal Court. The suspect has no prior charges in municipal court. He remains in Butler County Jail on $2.5 million bond.

Sally Mills, Butler’s sister, said she was “impressed and pleased” with the detective work of Hamilton police.

“These are pretty quick results, I thought. It’s such a bittersweet feeling. Who knows why this happened? I don’t know if we’ll ever know.”

Share this article