Police: Trio planned Tuesday's shooting on Leslie Street in Sharon
Sep. 20—SHARON — A preliminary hearing is scheduled Sept. 29 for an adult and two teenagers accused of conspiring to kill a Sharon woman Tuesday morning on Leslie Street in Sharon.
Thomas Emil Shank Jr., 36, and Kiwi S. Minich, 17, both of 1047 Leslie St., and Cory Michael Blough Jr., 17, of 582 Spruce Ave., Sharon, were charged with conspiracy to commit criminal homicide, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault in the shooting of Ivory Daniels.
Blough was also charged with theft, tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm by a minor after he reportedly took his father's gun to use in the crime, police said.
Police were called at 2:06 a.m. to Shank's and Minich's residence for a woman who had been shot in the face, according to a criminal complaint.
Daniels, who owns the home, reportedly is Shank's ex-girlfriend. She was taken to a trauma center and treated for the gunshot wound.
Daniels told police that she has been separated from Shank for quite some time but he still lives at the house, police said.
She told police that she is seeing someone else. In the last year, she said, Shank has pointed a handgun at her and the man she is now seeing when they were lying on the couch together in the home. Shank has fits of rage and is verbally and physically abusive to Daniels, police said.
Daniels said there have been recent incidents in which she has feared for her life and believed Shank was going to harm her, police said. Shank has said that he had a firearm hidden in the home, Daniels told police.
During a recorded interview with police, Shank made multiple statements on planning to kill Daniels with Minich and her boyfriend, Blough, police said. The three reportedly communicated about, conspired and planned different ways that they were going to kill Daniels.
Shank said his role in the plan to kill Daniels was to turn off one of the house's exterior security cameras. His part was completed before 1 a.m. so he could be in bed, police said.
Blough identified who he said were the co-conspirators in the planning and commission of the crime. He told police that they discussed and planned how the homicide would be carried out, police said in the complaint.
Blough said he entered the house and shot the victim in the face with a handgun that he took from his father's bedroom, police said. He then fled with the gun. He later talked with Shank, asking that he alter the crime scene, police said.
Minich accompanied Blough to the house, let him in and directed him to the victim's bedroom where Daniels was sleeping, police said. Blough then shot Daniels in the face, and Minich pushed Blough out of the home, police said.
The trio were arraigned Tuesday night by District Judge Douglas E. Straub. They were taken to Mercer County Jail on a $1 million bond.
Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com
NOTE: This story has been edited to correct Cory Blough Jr.'s name.
Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com
