Shooter who killed Dayton teen LaShonda Childs admits guilt

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DAYTON — UPDATE 10:28 a.m.:

The trial for Trendell Lamont Goodwin never began this morning after he entered a guilty plea to several charges against him.

Goodwin admitted to charges of murder, felonious assault and a weapons charge.

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Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday at 11 a.m.

As part of the plea, Goodwin agreed to a sentence of 18 years to life in prison, court records show.

INITIAL REPORT:

The trial of Trendell Lamont Goodwin, who is accused of murdering Dayton teen LaShonda Childs, was scheduled to begin Monday.

The start of the trial was postpones after a Montgomery County Pleas Court judge agreed to allow Goodwin to change defense attorneys.

Goodwin, 28, is being charged with two counts of murder, three counts of felonious assault and two counts of discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises.

These charges all stem from the Oct. 2, 2018 shooting death of Childs, who is Goodwin’s ex-girlfriend. Each charge is a felony, and each carries a three-year firearm specification.

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Prosecutors said that Goodwin got into an argument with Childs and her boyfriend on Mumma Avenue in Dayton when Goodwin pulled out a gun.

Childs called 911. She and her boyfriend got into their car and were trying to drive away when Goodwin allegedly fired into the vehicle.

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Childs was shot in the head, and her boyfriend drove her directly to Grandview Medical Center, where she died early Oct. 3 of her injuries.

The shooting occurred two days before Childs’ 18th birthday.

According to Childs’ family, she and Goodwin began dating in September 2017, and originally told her he was 20, not in his late 20s. After he started showing abusive behavior, they said, Childs tried to leave him.

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A review of court documents by this news organization found Childs and her family went to the police for help related to Goodwin on multiple occasions.

Less than two weeks before her death, Childs posted “domestic violence is real” on her Facebook page in a viral post that had been shared more than 50,000 times.

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“This 17‐year‐old victim had posted multiple times on social media about how scared she was of this defendant.” Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr stated in a release. “She even posted, ‘Domestic violence is real.’ Sadly, the defendant killed her. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic or dating violence, please, please, please get help and call 9‐1‐1. My office’s Victim/Witness Division offers a 24‐hour Hotline (937‐225‐5623) to assist in getting victims the help and safety they need.”

Goodwin pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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