Hearing reveals details in Logan County shooting death

A view of the court room at the Logan County Juvenile Court on Friday afternoon. JEFF GUERINI/STAFF

A view of the court room at the Logan County Juvenile Court on Friday afternoon. JEFF GUERINI/STAFF

A probable cause hearing Friday afternoon for two teens charged in connection with the shooting death of a Logan County man on Thanksgiving morning revealed new details about the case.

Jasmine Lewis and Tatiana Freeman were both 17-years-old at the time of their arrests following the fatal shooting of Jeff Brentlinger, 45, at his home in rural Zanesfield. Both face juvenile charges of complicity to commit murder and complicity to commit robbery.

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Brentlinger’s daughter found him dead in his rural Zanesfield home in the 6400 block of Township Road 127 about 11 a.m. Thanksgiving Day.

Prosecutors alleged Brentlinger set up a video camera prior to Lewis and Freeman coming to his house in the moments before he was shot. The laptop was set on a shelf in his open bedroom closet.

The 30-minute video, which was viewed in Logan County Juvenile Court at the hearing Friday, showed Brentlinger hugging and kissing the girls and talking about taking “shots” with them.

Then a man can be heard breaking into the house and within seconds Brentlinger in sitting on a bed with a gun pointed at him, according to the video shown in court.

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During a brief struggle, a gunshot is heard and the gunman can be heard saying, “Give me your money.”

Brentlinger later says, “I know you,” then as the two go off camera, another gunshot is heard. Prosecutors said that was the deadly shot. At the end of the video, Brentlinger’s labored breathing can be heard before his death.

The judge ruled there’s enough probable cause for charges against Freeman and Lewis to move forward.

Three other people have been arrested in connection with Brentlinger’s death, including Zachariah Huddleston, 22; Marquevous Watkins, 21; and Alexus Walton, 19; all of Lima.

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Watkins was charged with murder and aggravated robbery. Huddleston and Walton were both charged with complicity to commit murder and complicity to commit robbery.

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