BUCYRUS—Following opening statements in the Crawford County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday, jurors heard from law enforcement on the scene and a witness who was at the Just Jokin’ Bar on the night Michael “Mikey” Benedict was beaten to death.
Timothy Montgomery, 50, of Crestline, is the first of three being tried. Montgomery, his wife Jacqueline, and Cameron Davis each face three counts of murder, including aggravated murder.
Benedict, 40, formerly from Crestline, languished in hospice but succumbed to his injuries in early November of 2021.
The jury comprised of eight men and six women, including two alternate jurors.
Deputy Sheriff Brian Wozniak told the jury that while he patrols all of Crawford County, including Crestline and Galion that he was patrolling Bucyrus that evening. Wozniak explained he was in Bucyrus because, on warm nights, he is usually called to the Crazy Fox Saloon. He was about 15-20 minutes away from the scene. He assisted in going to the Montgomery home after Detective Kitzmiller had released them earlier. During his encounter with Timothy Montgomery, Wozniak also noted that he heard expletives coming from him that included “I beat his (expletive) ass because he deserved it. When Montgomery came out of his home, he did not have his shirt on. He denied officers access to his house because of his dog. Wozniak testified that they obtained a warrant and retrieved items from his home, including his shirt, pants, and cell phone. Wozniak confirmed the blood on Montgomery’s shirt was Benedict’s blood. He told the jury he did not know if Montgomery’s pants were tested.
Defense attorney Terry Hitchman agreed with the State that the altercation began at the Just Jokin bar. Video surveillance shows all three defendants and Benedict were in the bar.
The first prosecution witness was Alexander Eddy, 37, of Lucas. Eddy told the jury he came to the bar that night because his girlfriend was bartending. Lucas said he had been sober all day and arrived there late in the evening at the bar; “A couple of people were pretty buttered up.” Eddy testified.
Eddy further testified that he ordered his first beer and went to a table where people were playing drinking games.
Eddy told the jury that Montgomery’s wife asked him to play along. “She was so drunk I didn’t want to play.”
According to Eddy, right after midnight, some kind of argument broke out, and he attempted to “de-escalate” the situation.
Security footage played showed a crowded bar where several people were pushing up against one another, talking face-to-face in close proximity.
Eddy testified that he tried to keep Benedict away from the defendants.
While Eddy said he could not readily identify the victim, he had spent significant time around the defendants that evening. Eddy described Jaqueline as being very drunk and her husband
Timothy as quiet and reserved. Eddy described Davis as “ being the baddest dude there.”
Eddy said his girlfriend ordered them all to leave because she didn’t want them fighting in the bar. Eddy stayed to help his girlfriend clean and close the bar.
Current Crestline Interim Police Chief Jason Kitzmiller, who served as Detective on the night of the fatal beating, testified he arrived on the scene at around 2 am.
The jurors viewed Kitzmiller’s body cam video from the night. The footage shows Kitzmiller questioning Timothy Montgomery, Jacqueline, Montgomery, and Cameron Davis.
Statements from the trio expressed that a racially based argument had started between their group and Michael Benedict. In the video, Kitzmiller told Davis to keep his voice down.
Montgomery can be heard saying: “I’ve tried to shut him up. You know how he is.”
Kitzmiller told the jury he knew of Davis from previous police contact.
The three defendants can be heard on the video mentioning using force on Benedict. Kitzmiller admonished them, saying: “How about we don’t do that.”
Kitzmiller can be heard telling the defendants that they needed to leave the situation alone and walk home. Davis is heard telling Kitzmiller: “I want to solve problems, I’m a problem solver.”
At that point, Davis can be seen looking directly into Kitzmiller’s body cam and saying: “They don’t like Black people. That’s the problem.”
Kitzmiller told them to leave a second time. Kitzmiller reiterated his point, “ I don’t want you to get into any trouble. It’s just going to get ugly.”
Shortly after the trio left the scene, a man called 911 to report a beating he was witnessing: “ some man just got beat half to death, they were kicking him in the head.” The caller said.
When Kitzmiller arrived at the scene, he found the three people there he had just admonished and let go. Kitzmiller can be heard asking the defendants what they were doing; “Tim, you’ve got blood all over you!” Kitzmiller shouted. “You’re suspect number one.”
“Because I pulled someone off him? I pulled him off. I didn’t do it.” Montgomery said.
Davis then approached Kitzmiller and confessed to the beating. He said that they came upon Benedict, and he had continued his racial slurs. He told Kitzmiller that Benedict deserved the beating. “ I wouldn’t lie to you,” Davis said.
So after that exchange that Kitzmiller released Timothy and Jaqueline Montgomery but put the handcuffs on Cameron Davis.
Upon further investigation, the Montgomerys were later arrested. All three were indicted by the Crawford County Grand Jury in November of 2021.
Davis is set to testify for the prosecution on Wednesday in exchange for a 20-year prison sentence.