Final burglary suspect arrested in deadly Delhi Township smoke shop break-in, police say

The last suspect has been arrested in connection with an October break-in at a Delhi Township smoke shop that left a teenager dead, police said.

Messiah Hart, 18, was taken into custody in Milford early Wednesday and charged with murder and burglary, officials with the Delhi Township Police Department said in a news release.

Hart is one of six suspects who allegedly broke into the VIP Smoke Shop on Delhi Pike in the early morning hours of Oct. 20, throwing rocks through the storefront windows to get inside, officials said.

Also charged is 19-year-old Amontae Carter, who is facing counts of murder, burglary and possession of criminal tools. Carter is facing a maximum possible sentence of 15 years to life in prison if he's convicted as charged.

Three teens ages 15, 16 and 17 were arrested in October and collectively charged with counts including murder, burglary, receiving stolen property and auto theft. Prosecutors say the teens are waiting for their cases to be transferred to adult court.

Another suspect in the break-in, 16-year-old Travis Johnson, was shot and killed by a store manager, 29-year-old Tony Thacker, who was living in the back of the shop.

He fired several shots, fatally wounding Johnson, and ran to the front of the store as he continued to fire rounds at the remaining suspects who were trying to flee in stolen cars, according to the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.

Thacker shot Carter as he was sitting in the back of one of those vehicles. Officials say Thacker is not allowed to own firearms due to an adjudication for a felony offense he received as a juvenile.

Thacker and his brother, 21-year-old Malachi Thacker, then tried to disable the store's security system and remove shell casings from the scene, officials said.

Tony Thacker was indicted Friday on counts including felonious assault, tampering with evidence and illegal possession of a firearm. He has not been charged in connection with Johnson's death.

Malachi Thacker is facing tampering with evidence charges.

Hart is currently listed as an inmate at the Hamilton County Justice Center. As of Wednesday afternoon, records did not list when he's expected to appear in court.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Police arrest last suspect in Cincinnati-area smoke shop break-in