New details emerge in teen’s beating deathUpdated: 3:07 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013 | Posted: 7:12 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013
By Lauren Pack Staff Writer
FRANKLIN — A Warren County grand jury will now consider the cases of two Franklin men accused of beating a Dayton teen to death during a robbery.
Michael A. Geldrich, 36, and Michael J. Watson, 39, who are both being held on $1 million bonds, appeared in Franklin Municipal Court on Tuesday evening. After a preliminary hearing, Judge Rupert Ruppert found sufficient evidence to send the cases to a grand jury.
The men, who are charged with aggravated robbery and murder, were transported from the Warren County Jail in Lebanon for the short hearing. Both were shackled and handcuffed during the proceeding.
Geldrich and Watson planned the robbery of Dione Payne, 16, of Dayton, who had been staying at Geldrich’s house on Vernon Street, according to a sworn affidavit signed Dec. 2 by Franklin Detective Jeff Stewart.
A few details of that alleged plan emerged during the preliminary hearing when Stewart took the stand.
Watson, known as Jay to friends and family, was living in a shed on Victoria Street when he got a text message during the early morning hours of Dec. 1 from Geldrich, Stewart said.
During questioning by the detective, Watson said Geldrich told him he wanted to “rob this dude who was staying at the house.”
Watson said the original plan was to throw a pillow case over Payne’s head, rob him of his “dope and money” then take him some place and leave him.
That plan changed when Watson asked Geldrich if he really thought Payne would just let him put a pillow case over his head, Stewart said Watson told him.
Watson told Stewart that Geldrich then picked up a table leg at the garage of his Vernon Street residence, went into the house where Payne was asleep sitting up on the couch and hit the teen twice in the face, the detective said.
“He (Watson) heard (Payne) gasp, then he said Geldrich threw him on the floor and continued to assault him.”
Watson said Geldrich did not want Payne to know he was the person who robbed him, so his role was to be the voice in the room asking where the money and drug were. The pillow case was placed over Payne’s head after he was on the floor.
Stewart said Watson did not indicate they got anything from Payne, but Geldrich said they took heroin, cocaine and $250 in cash from Payne.
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