Catalde.jpg

A 28-year-old Trumbull County man has been charged for the shooting death of his cousin, 15-year-old Parma resident Jesse Hayes.

Thomas Catalde, Jr., of Leavittsburg, was charged by the Warren Township Police Department with reckless homicide. He shot him in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun on Saturday night and the child died in the hospital on Monday. Police chief Don Bishop said on Tuesday that “the 28-year-old cousin told police he had been talking with Jesse about hunting and had a few beers,” the AP wrote, “He was showing the boy a new shotgun when he pointed it at Jesse and pulled the trigger. He told police he didn’t think it was loaded.”

This is not Catalde’s first run-in with the law. Earlier this year, he was charged with felony aggravated vehicular assault, endangering children, and driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. The Youngstown Vindicator reported he got into an argument with his friend, then hit him with his car while his daughter was inside.

This article appears in May 13-19, 2015.

Doug Brown is a staff writer at Scene with a passion for public records laws and investigative reporting. A native of Ann Arbor, Mich., he has an M.A. in journalism from the Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a B.A. in political science from Hiram College. Prior to joining Scene, Doug was a contributing writer for Deadspin.com, reporting behind-the-scenes stories about college sports through public records and developing sources. Doug's work as an enterprise reporter for the Daily Kent Stater was recognized by the Cleveland Press Club (2013 Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards), Society of Professional Journalists (regional and national Mark of Excellence Awards), and the Associated Collegiate Press. He spent the summer of 2012 working for the Metro desk of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and spent previous summers working for Outside Bozeman Magazine and Crain's Detroit Business. His website is dougbrown8.com.