Man facing murder, child endangering charges in shooting of Dayton woman found guilty

DAYTON — UPDATE @ 6:49 p.m.:

Gregory Blanton has been found guilty on all counts stemming from the deadly shooting of Krysten Connally.

Blanton is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21 at 3:30 p.m.

UPDATE 7/1 @ 6:00 p.m.:

Lawyers for Gregory Blanton admitted that their client did shoot his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child, but argued that he should not be held legally responsible and asked them to find Blanton not guilty.

Blanton’s defense lawyer, Anthony Van Noy asked jurors to focus on why he would act so aggressively and violently. Van Noy called two psychologists to the stand in an attempt to show the jury that he believed Blanton suffered from Intermittent Explosive Disorder.

Van Noy also had psychologists testify that Blanton suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after witnessing domestic violence as a child and presenting claims of being sexually abused.

Prosecutors said Blanton’s actions indicated that he knew exactly what he was doing and was not out of control.

Both sides delivered their closing arguments Thursday before the jury began deliberations. A verdict is in, but has not been read yet.

UPDATE @ 5:16pm

A man accused of killing his former girlfriend and the mother of his child went on trial for murder Monday.

Police and prosecutors believe Gregory Blanton showed up unannounced, argued with Krysten Connally and then shot her in front of the 4-year-old son they shared.

Inside the courtroom, the first thing prosecutors did was play the 911 call that came in right after the gunfire. That stunning call was the first thing jurors heard during the prosecutor’s opening statement.

Prosecutors claimed Blanton pulled up on Connally as she walked out of the home with their child, while she was on a FaceTime call with friends.

Elizabeth McCormick, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, said, “And pulled the trigger 11 times. He shot Krysten even after she fell to the ground.”

According to prosecutors, they claimed Blanton shot Connally five times in the head.

“This was a crime caused by nothing but rage,” McCormick said.

The fatal shooting happened on May 9, 2020 - Mother’s Day weekend.

Blanton’s trial was delayed as the COVID-19 pandemic ranged on. In fact, one juror begged off the case after being selected Monday morning. He told the judge and prosecutors he couldn’t afford to get sick or take any time off from his self-employed workplace should he somehow contract COVID, despite air cleaners positioned in the courtroom for protection.

Another unusual development when prosecutors finished their opening statement, defense attorney Anthony Van Noy announced he would defer his opening statement until the prosecution goes all the way through its list of 11 witnesses.

That left his statement made by prosecutors that last thing the jurors heard before witness testimony began.

McCormick said, “We want you to use your common sense and determine what makes sense, whose story makes sense.”

The trial is already off to a strange start with one juror dismissed after jury selection and the defense deciding not to make an opening statement at this time.

UPDATE @ 10:15am

A Trial starts today for a man facing murder, child endangering charges in a Dayton shooting from back in May 2020.

Prosecutors approved charges of murder and child endangering against a Trotwood man accused of shooting his child’s mother in Dayton.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspect in deadly Dayton turns himself in 10 hours later, police say

Gregory Eugene Blanton, 33, has been charged with three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, and one misdemeanor count of child abuse stemming from the deadly shooting of Krysten Connally, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. The charges will be presented to a Montgomery County grand jury, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office said.

Callers reported Connally and Blanton were involved in an argument prior to the shooting on Hillpoint Lane in Dayton around 8:45 a.m. Saturday, May 9, 2020.

Connally died from multiple gunshot wounds and her death was ruled a homicide, Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Kent Harshbarger said.

Police said the investigation so far shows that Blanton and Connally had a 4-year-old child together, but the status of their relationship at the time of the shooting was not immediately known. Police added they are investigating the slaying as a domestic violence incident.

We’ll continue to update this story as new details become available.

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