By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — Homicide suspects appear before court. Judge Jonathan P. Hein presided.

Ashlee R. Fletcher, 37, of Greenville, entered a not guilty plea in court for the sole charge of having weapons under disability, a felony of the third degree. The disability stems from a pending case of possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. If found guilty, Fletcher faces up to three years in prison and a $10,00 fine, all of which are not mandatory. She also faces an additional year in jail that can be added to her sentence for disobeying parole on the drug case.

Assistant State Prosecutor Deborah Quigley addressed the court regarding bail. She said the defendant was placed on pretrial supervision on Friday, and Sunday she had gone to Florida with another individual.

“The State would like to note that she and that other individual had become suspects in a homicide case, and they both fled jurisdiction in an attempt to avoid apprehension,” Quigley said. “They put stolen plates on the vehicle, and with Fletcher’s drug use and disobedience to probation, the state deems her a high risk.”

Judge Hein set bond at $50,000 and appointed David Rohrer as her attorney. She will appear for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 6.

Dean M. Baker, 35, of Greenville, entered a not guilty plea to tampering with evidence, a felony of the third degree. If found guilty, he could face up to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Judge Hein explained to Baker that tampering with evidence means knowing that an official investigation was likely and concealing, destroying, or removing an item that would hinder the investigation.

Baker is a suspect in connection to the death of Corey Fleming, and Assistant State Prosecutor Deborah Quigley advised the court that the State would like to set the bond at $150,000.

“Bond is about the defendant showing up to court, and when the defendant learned of the investigation, he fled to Florida,” Quigley said. “He tried to conceal the vehicle by stealing license plates. The state believes he is a flight risk.”

Judge Hein set the bond at $100,000 and appointed Randall Breaden to represent Baker. Baker will appear for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 6.

Both Baker and Fletcher were developed as persons of interest in the homicide investigation of Corey Fleming who had been missing since Aug. 7. The body of Corey Fleming was discovered by investigators in a shallow grave at a commercial farm in Brown Township, Darke County, on Aug. 20.

Darke County Sheriff Mark Whittaker stressed the charges these individuals face are directly related to the homicide investigation.

To contact Daily Advocate Reporter Meladi Brewer, email [email protected].