Deonte Baber guilty of murdering driver who hit boy, jury finds

CINCINNATI — A jury on Tuesday found 27-year-old Deonte Baber guilty on two counts of murder, including one with gun specifications.

Baber shot and killed Jamie Urton on March 24, 2017 after Urton accidentally hit a 4-year-old boy with his car. Jurors returned the guilty verdict after about 13 hours of deliberations.

"It took two years to get this done, but we got it done and we're very happy with the result," Hamilton County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Mike Peck said. "The jury did their job."

Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Defense attorney Arica Underwood declined to comment on the verdict, but said they will appeal.

The case went to the jury late Friday after a five-day trial. Jurors deliberated all day Monday and through Tuesday morning.

Two witnesses picked Baber out of photo lineups as the shooter. Surveillance video of the incident shows a man wearing a blue and orange jacket that appears similar to won Baber was seen wearing in a Facebook post that same day. But Baber's ex-girlfriend testified that he'd been wearing a different shirt that day.

The boy had run into the street in front of Urton's oncoming car. He survived the collision. His father, Jamal Killings, is also charged in connection to Urton's death. Prosecutors have said Killings beat Urton before Baber killed him.

After Baber's guilty verdict Tuesday, prosecutors said they're working on what will happen to Killings' case now.

MORE COVERAGE:

• Defense points to father of boy hit by car in trial for driver's death
• Dad of boy hit by victim's car picked homicide suspect out of photo lineup
• Dad says he didn't kill driver who hit his son, but he witnessed the shooting
• Witness says she saw murder suspect running from scene
• Jury considers whether man killed driver who hit boy