‘I am very upset’: Sister reacts after man not indicted in her brother’s Middletown stabbing death

A Middletown man charged in the stabbing death of 41-year-old Carlton Brock last month during a dispute on Arlington Avenue has been released from jail after a grand jury declined to indict him on a murder charge.

Kenneth Roesch, 36, was charged with murder for allegedly stabbing Brock after an altercation. His case was sent by Middletown Municipal Court Judge James Sherron for grand jury consideration after a preliminary hearing.

The grand jury decision was announced on Wednesday.

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Middletown Police Maj. Scott Reeve said Roesch claimed self-defense in the altercation, calling 911 within minutes saying he had to stab someone because he was being choked. He added one of the witnesses said Brock approached Roesch.

“But we had some problems with how quickly he (Roesch) resorted to deadly force in a fist fight … it was quick,” Reeve said.

In the 6-minute, 39-second 911 call, Roesch is difficult to understand, breathing hard, and he sounds like he is moving around.

Roesch told dispatchers he had to defend himself.

“A guy attacked me,” he said. “I stabbed him once or twice to get him off me.”

Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said while he can’t say what happened at grand jury because procedures are secret by law, he does know the case well and it is about who was the aggressor.

Gmoser said evidence shows Brock left a “zone of safety” to engage Roesch.

“When you are engaged in mutual combat and you are the aggressor, because he left a zone of safety to get wrapped up with a guy rolling around on the ground, bad things will happen,” Gmoser said.

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Lena Clair, Brock’s sister, said she will continue to seek justice for her brother. She said she can not believe Roesch spent 30 days in jail and was released.

“I am very upset with how it turned out,” she said, adding she thought the grand jury would indict on manslaughter, even if not on murder.

“Something, some charge for killing my brother. I am not going to let it rest here.”

Middletown Detective Kenneth Mynhier, a 20-year veteran, was the only witness who testified at the hearing in municipal court. He said police originally were told the stabbing occurred after Roesch and Brock got into an argument over fireworks. But after interviewing more witnesses, Mynhier said the alleged attack was “over theft.”

Brock, who lived in a detached garage on Arlington, allegedly told Roesch to stay away from his property, then there was “an exchange of words,” Mynhier testified.

He also said Brock allegedly tried to punch Roesch, then Brock grabbed Roesch by the head. Roesch reached into his pocket, pulled out a black lock pocket knife and stabbed Brock five times in the upper torso and chest, the detective testified.

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