Best is also facing a conspiracy to commit murder charge for allegedly conspiring to kill Douglas Hobbs, who was living in Romano’s residence, and aggravated arson, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse allegedly bleaching her body then lighting it on fire. He was also indicted for participating in a criminal gang.
Derrick Brown, 22, of 815 Crawford St., was indicted for possession of cocaine, two counts aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, and aggravated murder for the death of Romano. He is also charged with participating in a criminal gang.
Charles Ray Graham, 27, of 2002 Pearl St., was indicted for kidnapping, aggravated arson and participating in a criminal gang.
The men were arrested on Dec. 22 and the case was bound over to a grand jury for consideration following a preliminary hearing Dec. 29. in Middletown Municipal Court. They men are being held without bond in the Butler County Jail.
Middletown Detective Steve Winters testified during the preliminary hearing that four shots were fired at Romano, 47, on Nov. 4, three of them striking him in the chest, leg and neck. He said Romano was killed in his kitchen at 1517 Lafayette Ave., and Hoskins was found shot inside a home at 1507 Jacoby Ave. a day later.
In the early morning on Nov. 5, Middletown firefighters were called to the Jacoby residence and found flames shooting from the second floor. They found Hoskins’ body at the top of the home’s stairway.
Hoskins, 36, was identified, Winters said, by the number on her pacemaker that was implanted years ago in a Dayton hospital and by her tattoos, matched from an arrest. During last week’s arraignment, police said Hoskins was raped, shot in the back of the head, doused with bleach and gasoline, and lit on fire in hopes of covering the crimes.
Winters said police believe the same gun was used to kill Romano and Hoskins, though they have been unable to locate the weapon allegedly used.
Winters testified during the preliminary hearing that they believe the three suspects are members of a Cincinnati-based gang called the Cincinnati White Boys.
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