CINCINNATI — The family of a 19-year-old St. Xavier graduate murdered in 2000 fears one of his killers will be set free. A parole hearing is scheduled for David McGee, who was convicted of the aggravated robbery, kidnapping and murder of David Peet.
On Aug. 14, 2000, Peet was out with friends when he decided to go home to be with his mother. On his way home, he stopped at a Taco Bell at the corner of Galbraith and Winton roads in Finneytown. At that time, McGee and Michael Price approached him and asked for a ride. Peet eventually agreed.
"He didn't realize he was being targeted to be robbed," Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers said. "He didn't realize he was being targeted to be murdered."
Once inside Peet's car, the two pulled out a gun and forced him into the trunk. Greg Ventre, lead detective on the case in 2000, said they "drove to a secluded area off of Spring Grove Avenue and executed him."
Powers said the entire time they drove him to the secluded area, Peet offered them anything he had in order to spare his life.
"He was begging for his life when they forced him to kneel and they executed him," she said. "(They) shot him four times in the head and left him."
It's a case Ventre said will never leave him.
"This is cold-blooded murder," Ventre said.
According to the admission of the killers, once they killed Peet, they took his car, stripped it of stereo equipment and torched it.
McGee was 17 at the time of the murder, striking a deal with the then-prosecutor and admitting guilt. He was tried as an adult, but because he was under 18, he was never given a life sentence. Instead, he received 18 years to life.
Now, he's up for parole. Peet's family fears the board may let him out.
While they wouldn't do any television interviews because they are fearful of retribution, Peet's family told WCPO they are afraid someone who was willing to kill a person trying to help them would hurt another person if released.
Powers echoed their thoughts.
"No one like that should be out in our community. Ever," Powers said. "They will repeat. They will re-offend. I don't believe someone like that, who is that callous to commit such a heinous crime, could ever be rehabilitated."
McGee would be 40 years old. He is slated to meet with the parole board in the coming days. WCPO tried to reach McGee and his attorneys for comment but did not hear back.
Anyone who wants to write a letter to the parole board asking that McGee remains in prison can by visiting the prosecutor's office's webpage for pending hearings.
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