3 men indicted in connection to Det. Del Rio’s death

DAYTON — Three men previously charged in connection to the death of Dayton Police detective Jorge Del Rio were indicted by a federal grand jury, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of Ohio.

Nathan S. Goddard Jr., 39, is facing nine charges, including deliberating killing Del Rio.

>> Det. Jorge Del Rio honored at U.S. Senate

He also was indicted on conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana, assault of a federal officer by inflicting bodily injury through the use of a deadly weapon, brandishing and discharging a firearm resulting in death by murder during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

A fourth person was arrested at the same time as the other three men who were indicted, but he has not been charged. This news organization is working to learn what happened. Cahke Cortner, 39, and Lionel Combs III, 49, are facing conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana, and brandishing and discharging a firearm resulting in death by murder during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime charges.

>> Del Rio remembered as family man, star detective, American hero

Combs was also charged with maintaining a drug premise.

Cortner is facing an additional charge of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

Attorneys representing  Goddard and Combs declined to comment and an attorney representing Cortner could not be reached.

All three are facing charges potentially punishable by the death penalty, with Goddard facing five death penalty eligible counts.

“There are many crimes that, if committed, one forfeits his right to live in a free society. And then there are the rare, few crimes that are so abhorrent to a free society that one is subject to forfeiting his right to exist at all,” said U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers. “Goddard has been accused by a grand jury of the latter.”

>> Butler County man charged with illegally buying firearm used in detective’s death

Del Rio was shot twice while serving a drug-related warrant as part of a DEA task force Monday, Nov. 4, in Dayton. He died three days later.

Between July and October, the Dayton DEA office was investigating a fentanyl operation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Goddard was identified as a possible supplier of narcotics during the investigation, prompting a federal search warrant for 1454 Ruskin Road in Dayton.

The DEA and Dayton police served the warrant shortly before 7 p.m. Nov. 4.

After announcing themselves, the officers went inside the home, with Del Rio heading toward the basement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

>> Suspects in Del Rio’s death are eligible for the death penalty

He was reportedly immediately under the gunfire and was shot twice.

Three firearms were found in the home, as well as approximately 10 kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine and 50 to 60 pounds of marijuana, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Around $51,000 in cash was reportedly found throughout the house.