A bond hearing for one of three teenagers charged in the deadly robbery-turned-shooting on Brookline Avenue has been pushed back to October, leaving 19-year-old Kevin Couch behind bars while prosecutors and defense attorneys spar over what role he played in the killing of 19-year-old Harry “Trey” Nelson III. A judge moved Couch's next hearing to October 14, 2026, after prosecutors argued for a higher bond and Couch's attorneys pushed for a lower one.
According to WKRC, Couch is currently held on a $1.5 million bond while prosecutors seek to keep him jailed pending trial. Police have said Couch helped plan the robbery, and prosecutors told the court he was armed with a rifle during the incident and had brought the handgun that was ultimately used in the killing. Couch's attorneys countered that he did not shoot Nelson, and pushed the court for a reduced bond amount.
Couch was shot during the incident and was hospitalized before he could be arraigned, the station's report notes. At his initial court appearance on August 20, Couch pleaded not guilty to murder and aggravated robbery, and his defense attorney told the court he had suffered two gunshot wounds during the robbery attempt, according to a video report of the hearing.
Arrests in the Case
Three men were arrested in connection with Nelson's death, according to FOX19.
Defense attorneys for Moore and Napier have disputed their clients' involvement in the actual killing. Moore's lawyer told the court his client never exited the vehicle during the incident, while Napier's attorney asserted that Napier was unarmed, according to WCPO. Prosecutors, however, contend that all three co-defendants planned the armed robbery together, a dispute that will likely shape how each case proceeds separately.
How the Shooting Unfolded on Brookline Avenue
The shooting happened on Brookline Avenue, per an account cited by FOX19. A second person present was also injured during the altercation, though the extent of that injury has not been detailed. Nelson died August 18, according to an obituary from Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Homes.
A Second Fatal Shooting on the Same Block
The Brookline Avenue shooting took place in Clifton, per an account cited by FOX19. A second person present was also injured during the altercation, though the extent of that injury has not been detailed. Nelson died August 18, according to an obituary from Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Homes.
The case adds to a cluster of late-summer shootings near the UC campus that prompted Cincinnati officials and campus authorities to deploy emergency security measures, including mobile command units, temporary lighting, and evening street closures, as previously reported by Hoodline. Those evening street restrictions have drawn pushback from local business groups in Clifton Heights, who say the measures have hurt foot traffic.
What Ohio's Felony Murder Law Means for the Case
The murder charges against all three teens stem from Ohio's felony murder rule. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2903.02(B), a person can be charged with murder if a death occurs as a proximate result of committing or attempting a first- or second-degree felony offense of violence, such as aggravated robbery, even without a specific intent to kill, according to the Cleveland Law Library. That doctrine is why Napier and Moore face murder charges even as their attorneys argue neither man fired the fatal shot.
Couch's hearing is delayed until mid-October.
