Statement of Facts

State v. Ryan Adams, CR2018-0222

Ryan Adams was released from prison in 2017, having served time for aggravated assault against

a female victim. While incarcerated at Noble Correctional Institution, Adams joined the “Real Riders”

criminal gang. Despite his made gang-member status and his having been imprisoned for a violent

felony offense, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections chose not to supervise Adams on

post release control. The Department has the option of supervision in such cases for up to three years.

The “Real Riders” gang was originally created in the Ohio prison systems as a means for

convicted felons from the Zanesville and Southeastern Ohio areas to organize against other prison

gangs. Their organization commits assaults, traffics in drugs in and out of the institution, and

participates in numerous criminal activities across the entire Southeastern Ohio region. The gang, also

referred to as the “Double R’s” and the “RR’s” has hand signs, handshakes, insignia, tattoo markings,

graffiti, and a rank structure establishing it as a criminal gang according to the Ohio Revised Code.

In this case alone, gang members and associates were caught in separate investigations talking

about the gang murder as far away as Athens, and before the body of the victim, Kylee Lindell, was ever

discovered.

In the summer of 2017, Adams was operating the “Real Riders” gang on the streets of Zanesville.

Adams was supplying narcotics regionally to other Real Riders sets in other Southeastern Ohio counties.

Within Muskingum County, Adams partnered with real estate owner and landlord John Kemp. Adams

provided Kemp with reliable income from numerous properties, as well as the prostitutes that he ran

within his criminal enterprise. Kemp, in turn, provided Adams with houses where he could sell narcotics

and put up prostitutes.

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 When the police closed in on a property because there was so much activity, Kemp would

provide Adams with a new location, and assist in moving the gang to the new location on a moment’s

notice. Kemp also provided verifiable “employment” for gang members.

Adams sourced his narcotics from various providers locally, including Ernesto Lopez1, Eric

“Weezy” Gibbons2, and others. He utilized other gang members for the distribution of narcotics at

various levels.

During this time, the victim of this offense, Kylee Lindell, became involved with Ryan Adams

both romantically and in the narcotics trade. In October of 2017, Ryan Held a party during which he

phoned the leader of the Real Riders within the prison at that time, Justin Dunkle, and received

permission to “make” Kylee Lindell into the Real Riders as the first female member of that organization.

Adams enlisted the help of a local amateur tattoo artist, and Real Riders associate, Andy Henry,

to “patch” Lindell into the gang. Present during the event were Real Riders associate, and at a time

Adams sexual relationship partner Christina McGee3, Real Riders associate Oshua Sharrer4, Real Riders

member Anthony McBride5, Devin Miller (girlfriend to McBride and later Adams’s sexual relationship

partner), Real Riders member Eric Gurnicke, Adams, and others. Lindell received two tattoos, one

stating “Property of Ryan Ray” and the other stating “savage,” which was a mark for Adams’s particular

subset of the Real Riders.

After allowing Lindell to join the Real Riders gang, Adams began with increasing frequency to

abuse Lindell. He obtained her Social Security Disability Insurance card and utilized all the money she

1
Recently indicted for narcotics. See State of Ohio v. Ernesto Lopez
2
Recently indicted for narcotics. See State of Ohio v. Eric Gibbons
3
Recently sentenced for narcotics. See State of Ohio v. Christina McGee
4
Currently incarcerated in prison. See State of Ohio v. Oshua Sharrer
5
Recently indicted for narcotics and participating in criminal gang. See State of Ohio v. Anthony McBride

2
received for his own use. He would “pay” her for using the card by keeping her “well,” which is street-

drug terminology for providing her with enough heroin that she did not feel sick.

In January, Adams’s abuse of Lindell had risen to the level of multiple public beatings. On

several occasions he either beat Lindell himself, or ordered gang members or probates to beat her for

perceived slights. On one occasion a gang member refused to beat Lindell and was subjected to

discipline within the gang.

On another occasion he beat her so severely that she was hospitalized. While at the hospital

she briefly decided to seek the help of police, but quickly changed her mind and snuck out of the

hospital before officers could arrive for a follow-up.

Lindell utilized the experience to attempt to change her life. She attempted to quit utilizing

heroin, and sought to attempt to reconnect with her family and children. At the time of Adams’s final

violent act against her, she was over fifty (50) days sober from heroin, although she was still abusing

methamphetamine.

On March 30, 2018, Brandi Edmiston and Tiffany Lewis were completing their final day of

sentencing for misdemeanor offenses in the Zanesville City Jail. They were released in the morning and

due to report to court-ordered treatment later in the day. They traveled to the Putnam area and went

to a drug house where Lewis had friends. There, they got high on methamphetamine and eventually

sought a ride from a friend of Devonte Goins6, however this turned out to not be possible.

The two got ahold of Olivia Davis, the mother of Ryan Adams’s child, and asked her for a ride.

Davis arranged to pick the two up by the Zanesville Community School on Moxahala. Meanwhile,

Edmiston got ahold of Real Riders associate Larry Hamilton, who informed her that Ryan Adams was

6
See cases of Bradley Grimes, Stormy Hooper, Audrey Preer.

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aware she had been released from prison. Adams and Edmiston were in a sexual relationship, and

Edmiston was the sometimes recipient of Adams’s physical violence, but also of the narcotics he

provided.

Davis drove Edmiston and Lewis to 230 Luck Ave, a John Kemp rental which was the home of

John “Uncle John” Downing, and also Davis’s sometimes residence. Earlier that day, Kylee Lindell had

been at 230 Luck along with Heather White7, and an argument occurred related to narcotics. Present at

230 Luck when Edmiston, Lewis and Olivia Davis arrived was Adams, Nancy Davis, Uncle John, and the

child shared by Ryan Adams and Olivia Davis. Arrangements were made to travel to 1848 Ridge Ave,

another John Kemp rental, which was one of Adams’s currently operating “trap” or drug houses.

Events at 1848 Ridge Ave. had begun the night before. Staying at Ridge were narcotics abusers

Real Riders associate Henry “Hank” Saxton, Gary Beall, Rosemary Hayman, Erick Gurnicke, and his

paramour Elizabeth Searls. 1848 Ridge was Gurnicke’s principle place of narcotics distribution. His main

role within the Real Riders gang was to sell narcotics, and his main utility to the gang was his ability to

bring in money. On the night of the 30th, Veronica Bruce, another person with whom Adams had a

sexual relationship, was present at the residence to clean and became incensed at the signs of his lack of

fidelity. She left and would return later. Also present was the “doorman,” or guard, Jeff “Honcho”

Sebach, Rebecca Reedy8, and Wesley Dingess who was present at the house to “tatt” in new gang

members.

Olivia Davis drove Lewis, Edmiston, and Adams to 1848 Ridge Ave. The three entered the home,

and Davis left.

7
Recently indicted for offenses of violence, see State of Ohio v. Heather White.
8
Currently incarcerated, see State of Ohio v. Rebecca Reedy

4
 Concurrently, a neighbor at 1848 Ridge phoned the Zanesville Police Department to report that

Adams was arriving at the house and was likely to cause trouble. It would be nearly twenty-minutes

before a car was dispatched to Ridge.

Inside, Adams, Edmiston, and Lewis entered the living room where there was a bar and began

playing music and pouring drinks. Across the room Reedy and Lewis were consuming marijuana.

Dingess was tattooing Honcho, preparing to “patch” Reedy into the gang. Gurnicke and Searls were in

an upstairs bedroom, as were Saxton, Beall, and Hayman.

Some time later, Adams fired a gun at the floor of the house, for either his own entertainment,

or as an effort to intimidate Dingess, a recently released convicted armed robber.

The same neighbor again phoned the Zanesville Police Department dispatch center and again

requested that the police respond to the scene.

Adams, Dingess, Edmiston, and others continued drinking inside the residence until, just after

midnight, Kylee Lindell showed up. Upon her arrival, Adams demanded she provide him with the money

that she made selling methamphetamine for him. As he reviewed the money, he accused Lindell of

being short by $50. Lindell explained that she had to use some money to feed her driver, and that she

hadn’t sold all the methamphetamine yet. She was standing next to Wesley Dingess, and had her arm

around his shoulder. Edmiston and Adams stood on the other side of the bar.

Adams reached below the bar and produced a handgun. He shot Lindell in the face at point-

blank range.

She fell lifeless to the floor.

Adams looked at the stunned faces in the room and stated, “She’s dead.”

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 Other witnesses described Lindell falling to the floor and described the large volume of blood at

the scene.

Adams ordered Edmiston to take the females upstairs. At the same time, Gurnicke was

travelling downstairs to determine what was the fuss.

Outside, officers arriving on scene heard the gunshot. They secured the perimeter and called

for back-up.

Inside, Adams and Dingess took Lindell’s body and dragged her to a closet, covering her with

clothing. Adams told Dingess to take the firearm upstairs. He came up the stairs and gave the gun to

Edmiston, who hid it in an upstairs room. Adams came upstairs and the witnesses hid in various

bedrooms. Adams, Edmiston, and others were in the bathroom.

At this time, the police were knocking on the door repeatedly. Hank told the occupants not to

answer the door. The knocking continued for some time, and then stopped.

Outside, Veronica Bruce had returned in search of Eric Gurnicke and methamphetamine.

Present in her vehicle was Bree Rollins, and Bruce’s child. When they pulled up to Ridge, they saw the

house surrounded and hid inside their car for fear of possibly having a warrant. They watched the scene

unfold.

Gurnicke retrieved the firearm from its hiding place and put it inside a bag or backpack inside of

one of the rooms at Ridge and set it on a night stand. Gary Beall called his brother, Paul Beall, who was

with Derek Weaver9 and Christina McGee at the Super 8 Motel on route 40. Paul Beall and Derek

Weaver then traveled to 1848 Ridge.

9
See State of Ohio v. Derek Weaver, - Licking County, indicted for aggravated vehicular homicide.

6
 Once Adams was convinced the police might be gone, he and Edmiston decided to leave the

house. Adams and Edmiston exited the rear door and were immediately confronted by Zanesville

Patrolman Marcus Pisch. The two attempted to claim that they had not been inside – a lie Edmiston

would later repeat under oath to the Grand Jury. Pisch informed them that he watched them leave the

residence and asked them who else was inside. Both responded that there were no other persons

inside and again claimed they had knocked and no one answered. Pisch secured them in a cruiser.

Meanwhile, a supervisor and the on-call detective had arrived on the scene. They assessed

what appeared to be bullet holes exiting the house, and the reports of the first responding officers.

They briefly questioned Adams and Edmiston. They spoke with Paul Beall who had just arrived looking

for his brother.

For reasons that will possibly forever be unknown and unknowable, and which are certainly not

justifiable, a conclusion was drawn that the gunshot sounds could have come from a nearby bonfire, and

that Adams was likely the cause of the problem, and with his leaving so too would the problem leave.

Adams and Edmiston were released from the scene, and officers on the scene were ordered to

return to their calls and duties.

In the alley, Bruce observed Adams and Edmiston walk away.

The two traveled back roads until they arrived at the duplex on 317 Brighton. Half of that

duplex is occupied by Vada McQueary, whose son is Real Rider associate Ty Kinchen. There, Adams

called Olivia Davis for a ride. Davis dropped Edmiston off at her mother’s home off SR 555 near

Stovertown10.

10
See location of crime in indictment on, State v. Grimes, Stormy Hooper, et. al.

7
 Inside of 1848 Ridge, occupants made contact with Larry Hamilton. Hamilton returned to Ridge

some time later and provided rides to several persons over to 230 Luck, “Uncle John” Downing’s

residence. Rebecca Reedy had set out on her own, but eventually called Hamilton for a ride. He picked

her up and took her to 230 Luck as well, and already knew what happened.

Larry Hamilton then drove to Adams Street in Putnam to his home where he resided with

Georgia Hamilton. Also staying with them at the time was Michael Church. Larry Hamilton was

distraught and told Georgia Hamilton that Adams had murdered Kylee Lindell in the Ridge Ave trap.

At 230 Luck, Lewis, Reedy, Honcho, Gurnicke, Dingess, Uncle John, and others were present.

Gurnicke collected all persons’ phones and examined them to see who had been contacted. Adams

showed up some time later. During the early morning hours, Veronica Bruce was directed to come to

230 Luck to complete her methamphetamine transaction. While she was inside, her mother, narcotics

abuser and Real Riders associate Tina “Aunt T” Gross11, arrived at Adams’s behest. Gross traveled to

1848 Ridge in her black hummer, went inside, retrieved the gun, and discarded it.

Gross called Gurnicke after having discarded the gun. The phone was answered by Larry

Hamilton.

“It’s gone.”

Bruce and Rollins followed Tina Gross back to her residence on Leffler Ridge Road in Cannelville,

where they stayed the rest of the night.

As the sun rose on the next day, John Kemp showed up at 1848 Ridge with a large utility trailer.

He dropped off the trailer and went inside the house, emerging quickly thereafter. Kemp then drove to

230 Luck, where he picked up Eric Gurnicke and Wesley Dingess and drove them back to 1848 Ridge. As

11
Currently incarcerated in prison on related case. See State of Ohio v. Tina Gross

8
they exited Kemp’s truck, he provided them with trash bags. They went inside to begin cleaning the

scene.

Edmiston got a ride in the early morning hours from her mother to 718 Lexington, another

Kemp rental and Adams trap, where they picked up Adams and returned to 230 Luck.

There, while Adams was on the phone with various parties, Lewis offered to use her cleaning

supplies from her van to help clean the scene12. In Putnam, James Williams heard about Adams killing

Lindell. As an RR member, he decided to travel to 230 Luck to see how to help. He arrived and with his

girlfriend provided a ride to Lewis, Honcho, and Edmiston.

They first drove to Lewis’s van for her supplies, and then followed up by driving to the Dollar

General in Putnam where Honcho and Williams purchased bleach, mops and other items for the

purpose of cleaning up the crime scene.

In the intervening time, Kemp returned briefly to 1848 Ridge and left again.

Williams and his girlfriend dropped off the others with their supplies at Ridge and Honcho left

with Williams, neither to return to re-associate with the conspirators. The females stayed and cleaned.

In Putnam, Larry Hamilton had been tasked with obtaining a truck to be used to remove Lindell’s

body from 1848 Ridge. He got his cousin Michael Church to go along with him. He called a friend for a

ride. He made arrangements with the occupants of 123 Amazon Hill, a trap utilized by Thomas “Levi”

King to distribute heroin13. A truck was available there from an individual who was currently serving jail

time in the city.

12
Van was previously the scene of a crime involving Lewis. See State v. James Bailey
13
Recently indicted for narcotics, State v. Thomas King, see also State v. McKenna Brock

9
 Inside of 1848 Ridge, Dingess and Gurnicke demanded that Hank Saxton – who had just woken

up – provide them with something in which to wrap Lindell’s body. Saxton provided a black sleeping

bag. The group then removed the cushions from a couch in the residence. They removed Lindell’s body

from the closet, placed her in the sleeping bag, and put her on the cushion-less couch. They replaced

the cushions and utilized ratchet-straps to secure her body within.

Church meanwhile was at 123 Amazon Hill. He did not enter the residence, having seen Levi

King and having had a bad history between the two. When Hamilton returned with the keys, Church

drove the truck to 1848 Ridge, with Larry Hamilton and his friend following. Upon his arrival, Edmiston,

Dingess, Gurnicke and Saxton were present in the home moving items. Others were upstairs.

Church was directed to back the truck up to the rear of 1848 Ridge. The individuals attempted

to move the couch out through the door, but the couch fell over and Lindell’s body was exposed.

Dingess, Saxton and Gurnicke ultimately had to remove the rear window in order to move the couch out

and into the bed of the truck. Church, joined by Dingess, then drove the truck to the alley behind 317

Brighton with Larry Hamilton’s friend, Larry Hamilton, and Edmiston following in the friend’s car.

In the meantime, Adams traveled to the upstairs apartment of 230 Luck, the residence of Real

Rider member and narcotics trafficker Jason Godwin. Adams informed Godwin that there was gang

business needing done and that he was needed. Godwin left and traveled with Adams in Olivia Davis’s

vehicle to the CVS on the south end of town where they picked up Charles Kessinger. The three then

traveled to 317 Brighton.

At 317 Brighton, Adams had arranged for Vada McQueary to rent him a U-Haul. While

McQueary was aware that Adams intended to use the U-Haul for the purpose of committing crimes, it

cannot be shown that she knew the U-Haul would be used for transporting a body or with relation to a

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murder. In the alley behind that residence, Adams, Gurnicke, Dingess, and Church moved the couch into

the rear of the U-Haul.

Adams, Dingess, and Gurnicke left Brighton in Oliva Davis’s white sedan and drove to the Triple

Nickel, a bar on SR 555. Godwin and Kessinger drove together in the U-Haul. The group met up a the

Triple Nickel for a beer, and then continued down SR 555 to 9995 Goosecreek Road, the home of

Kessinger. Charles Kessinger is a narcotics user, and the boyfriend of narcotics abuser Debra Spinks.

Spinks is the mother of Real Rider member Anthony McBride. Through McBride, Adams had become

aware of the strip-mine country property occupied by Kessinger.

In the trailer on Goosecreek, Adams paid Kessinger with narcotics. Kessinger pointed out a

spring area about half-way up the hill behind his trailer – approximately 100 feet in elevation up the hill

and 200 yards behind his trailer. He provided shovels from his own shed, and his brother’s pick-up

truck. Adams took Gurnicke, Dingess, and Godwin up the hill and the four began to dig.

The digging went on for hours.

After two or so hours, Godwin informed Adams he wanted no more to do with the situation and

that he had family obligations to which to attend. Adams then drove Godwin back to Zanesville where

he dropped Godwin off at 230 Luck, and picked up Hank Saxton. The two returned to Goosecreek and

the digging continued into the evening.

When the hole was sufficient, Adams, Saxton, Dingess and Gurnicke asked Kessinger if he had a

dolly. Kessinger found one in his shed and oiled the wheels. The conspirators attempted to move

Lindell’s body up the hill utilizing the dolly but were unsuccessful. Ultimately, they had to physically

carry her body up the hill where they buried her approximately four feet in the earth.

Adams then drove the men back to Zanesville.

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 While the men had been digging, John Kemp had secured a new home into which the previous

occupants of 1848 Ridge were to move. Elizabeth Searles woke up in 230 Luck in the morning, charged

her phone and snuck out, not to re-associate with the conspirators again. Meanwhile, Kemp arranged

for a transfer to 234 Luck – next door to 230 Luck. When Reedy, Edmiston, Lewis, and others were done

cleaning on Ridge, Kemp and the occupants placed all the property to be moved onto the trailer. Kemp

placed the bloody trash, mops, and other items in the rear of his truck. Kemp drove the women and the

property from 1848 Ridge to 234 Luck, where the females set about unloading the property and setting

up inside 234 Luck.

Gurnicke, Saxton and Dingess went to 234 Luck upon their return, but Gurnicke and Dingess

would come and go from 230 and 234 Luck throughout the night.

Adams, meanwhile, contacted an acquaintance of his and former girlfriend of his brother Donald

Adams14, Real Riders associate Jasmine Poljak. He arranged to get a ride with her to a Heath hotel

where the two spent the night, engaged in sexual relations, and where Poljak came to know of the

murder of Lindell. Poljak photographed herself with Adams in the room.

The next day, April 1, 2018 – Easter Sunday – Adams was to provide Poljak with narcotics.

Poljak provided Adams with transportation. The two drove to Adams Street, the home of Larry

Hamilton.

Given Adams’s situation, he was unable to contact his normal source of supply, so Larry

Hamilton set him up with Eric “Wheezy” Gibbons at the Putnam Tavern – a habitual resort for felons and

narcotics trafficking15 – and Gibbons provided the narcotics which were given to Poljak. Poljak would be

recorded on a wire in Washington County two days later bragging about how “the gang” had to take

14
Real Rider member currently incarcerated at Noble Correctional Institution.
15
See State v. Michael Brandon, State v. Ron Brandon, State v. James Norris, State v. Jason Fink, State v. Adam
Samson.

12
someone out because they “disrespected the gang,” and how she had been called up to help due to her

trusted status among the gang members.

Others involved in the case were also busy on April 1st. At 234 Luck, Edmiston, Reedy and Lewis

were unpacking belongings from Ridge. Tiffany Lewis successfully argued that she should be allowed to

leave and see her children on Easter Sunday. She left and never returned to the group of conspirators.

Rebecca Reedy set about creating a fake facebook profile for Kylee Lindell so that posts could be made

and it would appear Lindell was still alive.

Kemp, Adams, Gurnicke and Dingess determined that 1848 Ridge had not been satisfactorily

cleaned of evidence. Blood had dripped through the floorboards and couldn’t be fully cleaned. Kemp

expressed that he did not have insurance on the property but agreed with Adams that it needed to be

burned.

That evening, Gurnicke arranged with Oliva Davis for the gasoline to be purchased. She

returned with the can and Gurnicke and Dingess left with Larry Hamilton, who was driving Georgia

Hamilton’s vehicle, to head out to Ridge. Gurnicke attempted to get into Ridge, but didn’t have a key

and couldn’t get his knife to open the door. He left the gas can on the porch. The trio returned to 234

Luck.

At 234 Luck, Gurnicke promised Hank Saxton some drugs if he would assist in lighting up the

house. Just after midnight, in the early morning hours of April 2, 2018, Saxton called Paul Beall who

arrived shortly thereafter. Beall, Dingess, and Saxton then traveled to 1848 Ridge. Beall waited in the

parking lot of the Bayer Heritage Federal Credit Union while Saxton lit the house up into a raging fire.

Saxton ran across the street and the three fled, with Dingess jumping out on a side street.

13
 The Zanesville Fire Department responded to the blaze to find the fire hydrants had been struck

and vandalized. They battled the blaze but the entire house was a loss.

The next morning, Detectives with the Zanesville / Muskingum County Joint Drug Unit which had

been investigating Adams and the Real Riders for some time, drove by his trap house at 1848 Ridge and

noted that it had been burned to the ground. Upon returning to their offices those detectives

discovered the records of a gun run to 1848 Ridge on the previous Saturday morning which had not

resulted in entry into the residence. Around the same time, Zanesville Police detectives and Zanesville

Fire investigators were at 1848 Ridge beginning an investigation.

Detectives located security footage available from the nearby Bayer Heritage FCU. Bayer

assisted law enforcement in viewing the footage and it was determined that the perpetrators were

captured on video. Asst. Fire Chief Doug Hobson called the landlord of the property to the scene to

obtain permission to search. John Kemp arrived and signed consent for the burned house to be

processed. During the discussion, Hobson mentioned that the persons committing the arson were

captured on video.

Kemp then traveled to 234 Luck, where he entered in and spoke to the occupants, to include

Rebecca Reedy and Hank Saxton. Kemp informed them that they should get out because the police

would be there shortly. He stated that Saxton was a “dumbass” for committing the crime on video.

Back at the scene, detectives searched the premises but did not discover any gun, casings, or

other evidence of a firearms related crime.

By noon on April 2, 2018, reports were coming in from various places that Kylee Lindell had

been killed by Ryan Adams. Facebook posts from drug and gang-world associates and other information

made it appear likely that something terrible had happened inside of 1848 Ridge.

14
 Armed with the circumstances of the Saturday morning gun run, the arson, and the rumors,

Zanesville Police Chief Tony Coury authorized any necessary resources to be put into investigating the

situation. Acting Det. Sgt. Jon Hill began overturning every leaf to discover what happened to Kylee

Lindell. The detectives started out three days behind.

This process began with tracking down the only persons known to law enforcement at the time

to have some knowledge of the goings-on. Paul Beall and Derek Weaver had been recorded as showing

up at the scene of the gun run, so officers began searching for them.

Videos were recovered by Det. Donald Bates from homes near to Ridge, the Bayer Heritage

Credit Union, Gas Stations, R&K Drive through, and every single house in an increasing concentricity to

1848 Ridge.

A tip came in that Hank Saxton may have been involved in the arson, and he was listed as an

occupant of 1848 Ridge. He was apprehended but when interviewed denied knowing any information.

Paul Beall was arrested on April 3, 2018, after being recorded threatening Hank Saxton’s relative

that men from “Blue Rock” were on their way to have a word with him. John Kemp is known to reside in

Blue Rock. Beall’s vehicle was a match for the vehicle seen in the Bayer Heritage Credit Union parking

lot during the fire. Derek Weaver was apprehended attempting to flee the scene of that arrest. Weaver

confirmed that Beall was talking about Lindell having been murdered as of March 31, 2018.

Hank Saxton was arrested on April 3, 2018 and when interviewed by Detectives Hill, Porter and

Andrews, disclosed that he burned the house on Ridge, and that he was driven to do the deed by Paul

Beall and an unknown male with many tattoos. He further disclosed that he heard a gunshot inside of

Ridge on March 31, heard Adams say “she’s dead,” and when he went down the stairs saw the body of

Kylee Lindell. He admitted to calling Paul Beall to come to the scene.

15
 Though claiming not to know who the victim was, Saxton admitted to helping others pack up the

body into a couch and loading it into a black truck.

When Paul Beall was interviewed he denied being at the arson or knowing anything about the

murder, then requested an attorney.

Det. Bates was, in the meantime, processing hundreds of hours of video. In so doing he

discovered a video, from March 31, showing a black Dodge Ram or Dakota pulling out from behind 1848

Ridge, containing a black, upturned couch, the black sedan of another witness was discovered to be

following the black truck, and officers set out to find and interview the car’s driver.

All law enforcement agencies in the region were alerted to look for a truck matching the

description.

Reports came in related to freshly dug earth in Hocking County.

A report came in from Washington County reporting Jasmine Poljak’s admission on a narcotics

task-force wire.

On Wednesday, April 4, 2018, Brandi Edmiston was scheduled to testify in the Muskingum

County Grand Jury related to a shooting that happened a year earlier in which her then-boyfriend was

the victim, and which occurred at her mother’s house near Stovertown. Detectives were hopeful she

would show and could shed light on the situation at Ridge.

Edmiston did show, but she lied repeatedly under oath. At the police department, she was re-

interviewed. While she was continually dishonest, she claimed to have been going to Ridge to get a

tattoo from a “tattoo guy,” name unknown to her.

16
 Later that day, detectives found the driver of the black sedan, and he was interviewed. The

witness disclosed that Larry Hamilton contacted him needing a ride. He described picking up another

male, taking them first to Amazon Hill to get a truck, and then following the truck to Ridge Avenue. He

described a couch being loaded into the truck. The driver told detectives that Brandi Edmiston got in

the car with him and rode with him over to Brighton Blvd, where they met up with a U-Haul.

Detectives were immediately dispatched to U-Haul rental locations and promptly obtained

records showing that Vada McQueary of 317 Brighton had rented a U-Haul for the relevant time period.

Since the rental was returned, the U-Haul had been re-rented five times. But of great relevance, the U-

Haul provided detectives with a radius – the furthest that the truck could have been taken before its

return.

On April 5, 2018, Muskingum County Prosecuting Attorney Investigator Bethany Hayes was sent

to determine if any locations on routes South of Zanesville had surveillance cameras showing the

roadway. Zanesville Detectives were dispatched to collect any video that existed.

The black pickup truck was discovered in the county by Zanesville patrolmen circulating for

evidence.

At the same time, phone records of Ryan Adams had been received and were mapped and

processed by then Patrolman, now Detective Sgt. Phil Michel. Michel was able to determine that Adams

headed South out of town, and on the West side of the Muskingum River. Video recovered from

Pappy’s Towing on Old River Road showed the U-Haul passing that location on the 31st.

Meanwhile, at the Zanesville Police Department, detective secretary April Roll discovered a

traffic stop which had occurred involving a known associate of Ryan Adams – Eric Gurnicke. On April 3,

17
2018, Veronica Bruce was pulled over by Ptl. Lanning driving a truck in which the passengers were Eric

Gurnicke and Wesley Dingess. Dingess’s physical appearance was that of a highly-tattooed individual.

The home of Veronica Bruce and Tina “Aunt T” Gross was found to be just within the radius of

travel of the U-Haul rental.

Det. Hill re-interviewed Hank Saxton, who claimed he had been told by people that Lindell’s

body had been taken somewhere off State Route 555.

Brandi Edmiston finally decided to be somewhat honest with Det. Hill and disclosed that she

witnessed Adams shoot and kill Kylee Lindell. She further confirmed that Lindell’s body had been placed

in a U-Haul and removed, confirming for law enforcement for the first time the identity of the person

Adams killed.

Vada McQueary was found and interviewed and informed the officers that she rented the U-

Haul for Ryan Adams.

The Zanesville Police Department deployed a surveillance drone over the property of Tina Gross

and a black Hummer, matching the description of a Hummer shown on video at multiple relevant times

at 1848 Ridge Ave, was discovered to be at the residence.

The Zanesville Police Department Special Response Team, Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office

SWAT and Zanesville police detective bureau conducted a search warrant on the Gross property on

Leffler Road on April 5, 2018. An extensive search including the use of cadaver dogs disclosed nothing

related to the murder. Tina Gross was arrested on the scene for possession of methamphetamine, and

she was repeatedly and continuously dishonest to officers.

As the search on the Gross property progressed, Veronica Bruce reached out to her sister to

inform her sister that the police would never find a body on that property.

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 During the course of the seven days between April 3, 2018, and April 10, 2018, the Zanesville

Police Department executed 28 search warrants related to discovering the location of the body of Kylee

Lindell.

Also during the course of time between April 3, and April 10 and beyond, Georgia Hamilton,

Jasmine Poljak, John Kemp, Olivia Davis, Real Rider associate and narcotics trafficker Kelly Dunkle16,

Ashley Wylie17, and others provided rides, hiding, and other assistance to Adams while he was on the

run.

On April 10, 2018, the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office got into a car pursuit related to a

recently stolen vehicle. At the end of the pursuit, Wesley Dingess was discovered to be the driver of the

vehicle. Due to Ptl. Lanning’s stop seven days earlier, detectives were able to associate Dingess with

Gurnicke and Adams. He was brought to the Zanesville Police Department for questioning.

Dingess disclosed the entirety of the details of the murder, the participants, the location of

Kylee Lindell’s body, and the arson.

On April 10, 2018, members of the Zanesville Police Department Detective Bureau, Muskingum

County Sheriff’s Office, Josh Durst with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and Muskingum

County Prosecutor’s Office served a search warrant at 9995 Goosecreek Road. During the search,

detectives located an area of freshly disturbed soil, and after considerable effort located the body of

Kylee Lindell.

Lindell had been killed by a gunshot wound to her head. She was discovered still wrapped in the

sleeping bag provided by Hank Saxon.

16
Recently indicted for narcotics offenses, see State of Ohio v. Kelly Dunkle, arrested Monday.
17
Now deceased from drug overdose.

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 Gurnicke was arrested April 16, 2018. Godwin was arrested shortly thereafter.

On April 17, 2018, members of the United States Marshall’s located Ryan Adams in a hotel in

Heath, Ohio. Located with Adams was a disrobed Jasmine Poljak. The room had been rented by Ashley

Wylie and James Sellars, narcotics abusers from Zanesville. Adams was in possession of a cellular phone

purchased for him by Real Riders associate and narcotics trafficker Kelly Dunkle.

The effort put forth to find the body of Kylee Lindell and apprehend Ryan Adams consumed

countless hours on the part of detectives and patrolmen with the Zanesville Police Department and

attorneys and staff with the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office. The City of Zanesville expended the

entire 2018 overtime budget for the detective bureau addressing this case. The stress, uncertainty, and

terror inflicted on the family of Kylee Lindell is incalculable.

But the victim, her family, and law enforcement are not the only ones who were made to suffer

in this case. In the time since Ryan Adams chose to murder Kylee Lindell, in part due to the chaos his

behavior has caused, the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office has filed gang-related charges, charges

stemming from gang-related investigations, or other cases against the following members or associates

of the Real Riders gang:

Larry Hamilton
Jason Godwin
Eric Gurnicke
John Kemp
Brandi Edmiston
Rebecca Reedy
Hank Saxton
Paul Beall
Georgia Hamilton
James Williams
Jeff Sebach
Tina Gross
Ryan Viney
Zachary New
Bryon O’Neill

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Kelly Dunkle
Anthony Helphrey
Jasmine Poljak
David Trout
Charles Ball
Mark Swartz
Zachary South
John Hampton
Brandon Spring
Travis Minner
Christina McGee
Jesse Beach
Joshua Campbell
Charles Buckner
Kevin Bryan
Jarred Parr
Philip Nixon
Robby Agin
Cory Norris
Anthony McBride
Devin Harris
Levi King
Devin Murgatroyd
Cameron Roth
Ernesto Lopez
Nikko Sealey
Eric Gibbons
Shane Danehart
Robert Lohr

More charges, arrests, and convictions are to be expected in the future.

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