Grand Jury Returns Indictment Against Ott Murder Suspects
A Geauga County grand jury has handed down a five-count indictment against the three men suspected of killing Daniel Ott in 2006.
A Geauga County grand jury has handed down a five-count indictment against the three men suspected of killing Daniel Ott in 2006.
Joseph Rosebrook, 59, of Florida, Carl “Jeff” Rosebrook, 57, of 969 Country Road 142, East Liberty, and Chad South, 45, of Dayton, were all charged in a single five-count indictment with specifications filed Wednesday morning in the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas.
The five counts are conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, aggravated murder with prior calculation and design, aggravated murder during the commission of aggravated burglary, kidnapping of Ott and kidnapping of Ott’s then-girlfriend, Maryann Ricker.
The charges and the case against the three men will be discussed during a 1 p.m. press conference Wednesday in the offices of Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz.
The Rosebrooks and South previously were charged with murder, an unclassified felony, for their roles in the death of 31-year-old Ott, who was shot and killed May 26, 2006, inside of the home he was renting at 16058 Claridon-Troy Road in Burton Township.
According to multiple sources, it was a “hit” gone bad, as South, the suspected hitman, allegedly murdered the wrong Daniel Ott.
Ott shared a name with another Northeast Ohio resident who was a federally-convicted car thief and a reputed associate of Joseph Rosebrook, the Bellefontaine Examiner has reported.
South and Carl Rosebrook were separately arraigned on June 5 in Chardon Municipal County on one count each of felony murder, the most serious crime in Ohio, carrying a possible sentence of 15 years in prison to life in prison without parole.
Chardon Municpal Court Judge Terri Stupica set South’s bond at $3 million cash or surety. Geauga County Public Defender Robert Umholtz represented him at last Friday’s arraignment.
Cleveland criminal defense attorney Kristina Supler represented Carl Rosebrook at his arraignment. His bond was set at at $1 million cash or surety.
South is believed to be the hitman in the case, several law enforcement officials have told the Geauga County Maple Leaf.
Carl Rosebrook, a Perry Township trustee in Logan County, is the brother of Joseph Rosebrook. He is believed to be the “bag man” for his older brother, who is suspected of ordering the hit that killed the wrong Daniel Ott, sources familiar with the arrests told the Maple Leaf.
The elder Rosebrook was arrested in Florida, where he moved after his release from prison in March 2014 after serving a 10-year prison sentence. He is awaiting extradition to Ohio.
Joseph Rosebrook was sent to prison in April 2005 after being convicted in Logan County, Ohio, on one count each of conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, receipt of stolen property, obstruction of justice and concealment of identity, according to Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction records.
