Prosecutors look to try minors arrested in case of murdered Toledo teens as adults

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The 14-year-old arrested last week in connection to the kidnapping and murder of two Toledo teens whose remains were found in a burned-down home appeared in court Monday.

Investigators say a 17-year-old and a 14-year-old have been booked and charged in connection to the deaths of Ke’Marion Wilder and Kyshawn Pittman. Ten people are now facing charges in the case. Prosecutors are looking to try both teens as adults.

The minors are both facing two counts of complicity to commit murder and two counts of complicity to commit kidnapping, police say.

The 14-year-old is also facing an obstruction of justice charge and police say he has no prior criminal record. 13abc does not release the names of minors accused of crimes unless the courts decide to try them as adults.

“So clearly we are not alleging that he is the one who actually did the specific crime, however, participation aiding in abetting if there’s proximate cause what he did also, additionally, led to the deaths of these young men -- then he is also liable,” Deputy Chief Juvenile Prosecutor Patricia Wardrop said in regard to the 14-year-old’s case.

Tears ran down the teen’s face as his attorney asked the judge to have his detention status reviewed. At one point, it appeared the14-year-old was praying.

The prosecutor objected to considering allowing the teen to be released based on the facts in what the prosecutor called a “gruesome” case.

The 17-year-old boy was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 5 and the 14-year-old boy was arrested on Friday. Jan. 6. The 17-year-old was in court Friday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Both minors are being held at the Juvenile Detention Center.

Prosecutors say a determination as to whether the 14-year-old will be tried as an adult could come as soon as this Friday.

The arrests of the teens come after a Lucas County grand jury indicted numerous people in connection to the case on Wednesday, Jan 4.

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