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2 arrested in beating death

Man and woman were charged Tuesday in the slaying and robbery of Samuel Baez-Rosa.

Phillip Smith Jr.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Leeanna Rayas

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Lauren Pack, Staff Writer Updated 1:08 AM Wednesday, July 28, 2010

HAMILTON — Police have arrested a Hamilton man and woman in the fatal beating of Samuel Baez-Rosa on July 14 at his Ludlow Street home.

On Tuesday, July 27, Phillip Smith Jr., 31, of 1108 Azel Ave., was charged with aggravated murder and aggravated robbery and Leeanna Rayas, 30, 540 N. Seventh St., was charged with complicity to aggravated murder and complicity to aggravated robbery.

Police say the duo went to Baez-Rosa’s home in the 800 block of Ludlow to rob him. When Baez-Rosa refused to give up his wallet, he was beaten with a baseball bat wielded by Smith, police said.

His roommate, Alejandro Ramirez, came to the door when he heard his friend yelling and also was attacked, police said.

His injuries were minor, and Ramirez called 911 around 11 p.m.

Baez-Rosa, 44, died after being transported to University Hospital in Cincinnati. But before he died, he was able to tell police that two people attacked him, with the man wielding the bat, according to detectives.

Lt. Scott Scrimizzi said the motive in the fatal attack was robbery. “This had nothing to do with race and anything like that.”

Scrimizzi praised the investigators for the dogged determination that led to the arrests.

“I am proud of the work they do every day, but building a murder case like this from what little they had to work with is simply exceptional. These arrests are a testament to the commitment of all Hamilton officers that this type of violence will not be tolerated, and those who perpetrate such acts will be brought to justice,” he said.

Both Smith and Rayas are being held in the Butler County Jail pending their preliminary hearing in Hamilton Municipal Court.

Smith also is scheduled to be arraigned today, July 28, in Butler County Common Pleas Court for breaking and entering and possession of criminal tools for a June incident, according to a grand jury indictment handed down last week.

He declined to say if Baez-Rosa knew the suspects before the beating.

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