Reed convicted in murder

Eric A. Reed was found guilty this morning by a Hancock County jury of aggravated murder in the 2017 shooting death of a Findlay drug informant. Reed, 50 to 52, of Texas, was convicted of killing Brian McQuistion, 42, in retaliation for information McQuistion supplied to police leading to a drug charge against Reed's "nephew." The jury rendered its verdict before noon today in Hancock County Common Pleas Court after deliberating more than eight hours over Thursday and Friday. Presiding over the trial, which began Monday, was Judge Reginald Routson. Routson scheduled Reed's sentencing for 1 p.m. Tuesday. Reed could be sentenced to life in prison for the aggravated murder conviction. He also was found guilty of two counts of having a gun without first obtaining court permission, having been convicted previously of fourth-degree felony counts of domestic violence and possession of crack cocaine. The two weapons counts he was convicted of Friday are third-degree felonies. "We're thankful for the jury's service and for coming forward with verdicts that we wholeheartedly agree with," County Prosecutor Phillip Riegle said. "We were able to get justice for Mr. McQuistion today and his family, and so, we're grateful for that." Riegle praised Findlay Police Department, particularly Det. Kevin Spieker and Ret. Det. Kurt Necker, for a years-long, thorough investigation which led to the convictions in McQuistion's death. A pivotal witness in this week's trial, Dominique J. Blakely, 31, is serving a 13-year prison sentence for complicity to involuntary manslaughter in Blakely's death. Blakely testified to driving Reed to McQuistion's neighborhood and then picking him up after the shooting at McQuistion's East Foulke Avenue residence. The shooting occurred weeks after Blakely was charged with selling drugs to McQuistion, who was wearing a wire and working for law enforcement. After Blakely was charged and had learned that McQuistion was working as an informant for police, Reed told Blakely that McQuistion "can't get away with that," Blakely testified this week. "I'll take care of it for you," Reed said, according to Blakely testimony. In addition, Reed called Blakely by phone days after the shooting and told him that he had killed McQuistion, Blakely testified. Reed's defense attorney, LaRon Bankston, sought to discredit Blakely's court testimony. He cited conflicts with Blakely's earlier statements to detectives. He also argued that other individuals could have been involved in McQuistion's death. But prosecutors this week cited cellphone/GPS data, security camera footage and Facebook posts obtained by Findlay police which corroborated Blakely's testimony. "Findlay Police Department, specifically Det. Spieker, Ret. Det. Necker and several others, including Ret. Det. (Jay) Myers, Ret. Det. (Ed) VonStein, spent literally years on this investigation," Riegle said. "They looked through dozens of different people to talk to. I think it was 42 interviews. They got data from every electronics type of company that you could come up with. "They were extremely thorough and that was obviously one of the keys that got us to Mr. Blakely and then Mr. Reed," he said. "Their work was terrific and above and beyond."