Trial delayed for man accused of killing football player in Liberty Twp. park

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

A trial for a Hamilton teen charged with murder and felonious assault for a shootout this summer in a Liberty Twp. park will not happen this year.

Zyquon Moody, 18, of Woodland Hills Drive, was scheduled to go to trial Monday in Butler County Common Pleas Court for allegedly shooting and killing 18-year-old Antaun Hill Jr., during the June 10 incident. Judge Jennifer McElfresh rescheduled the trial for Feb. 8.

Antaun Hill Jr., 18, of Fairfield Twp. was among those wounded by gunfire during a fight Wednesday night in a park in Butler County’s Liberty Township. Hill, who had signed for a scholarship in February to play football at Independence Community College in Kansas, died from his wounds after being transported to a local hospital, said Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones.(Provided Photo/Journal-News)

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Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said the trial was postponed due to coronavirus concerns.

“Regrettably I do think will continue to see it (continuation of trials). Here we are with the pandemic that is continuing ...,” Gmoser said. “This year we are trying to do them (jury trials) and we want to have them, but keeping people safe is important.”

Zyquon Moody BUTLER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

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In October, Romel Velasquez, 18, of Cincinnati, was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated assault with a gun specification for his role in the shootout at Liberty Park on Yankee Road.

Velasquez shot Moody and was charged shortly after the shooting with murder, but that charge was dismissed when the investigation pointed to Moody as the person who allegedly killed Hill.

Velasquez confessed he had a gun and made a choice to go to this “zone of danger” with that gun after a social media announcement about a “big fight” going down, according to prosecutors.

A murder charge has been dropped against Romel Velasquez who was charged last week with allegedly killing Antaun Hill Jr. during a shooting at Liberty Park in Liberty Twp. NICK GRAHAM/STAFF

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Butler County Sheriff’s detectives and Fairfield Twp. police say the incident began with a previous theft of Hill’s cell phone and cash in Fairfield Twp. on June 7, and two groups met to fight in the park. Gunfire was reported about 10 p.m.

Moody remains housed in the Butler County Jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.

In addition to Hill and Moody, Zyshaun Johnson, 19, of Cincinnati, was also shot, but he recovered.

Hill, a Fairfield High School graduate, planned to play football at Independence Community College in Kansas.

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