2 killed in Middletown shooting were roommates who had been at local bar, police say

Police Chief: ‘We are asking for help anywhere we can find it’.

MIDDLETOWN — Two 25-year-old men died in a double shooting Saturday morning after the roommates returned to their 15th Avenue residence following an evening at a local bar, police said.

Daniel Fitzgerald died of a gunshot wound at the scene, according to the Butler County Coroner’s Office. Marvin Davis died of multiple gunshot wounds, according to Warren County Coroner Dr. Russell Uptegrove. Davis was taken to Atrium Medical Center, which is in Warren County, where he died.

Dispatchers received a call from one of the victims asking for help just before 3:30 a.m. Saturday. In the seven-minute call. the man gives an address in the 700 block of 15th Avenue in Middletown, then says, “please come help me, I don’t want to die.”

Then the call went silent and the dispatcher tried to get him to talk until an officer arrived and shouted a name. The dispatcher was told there are two victims with gunshot wounds.

Detectives worked much of the weekend tracking down leads. They were back in the office at 7 a.m. Monday interviewing people, said Middletown Police Chief David Birk.

On Monday afternoon, there were no arrests and detectives were still trying to find a reason for the slayings.

Birk said Fitzgerald and Davis had left Bar II on Elliott Drive before returning home. There is no indication there were any problems at the bar, he said.

There was no evidence of forced entry into their residence nor any indication the men fired in self-defense, the chief said.

“It doesn’t appear to be robbery,” said Birk, who noted officers are pulling video from home security cameras from the neighborhood and police Flock camera footage.

“We are asking for help anywhere we can find it,” he said.

Anyone with information regarding the shooting is urged call Middletown detective Ken Mynhier at 513-425-7720 or 513-425-7700.

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