Man dead in murder-suicide was driver in crash that killed mayor

DAYTON — One of the brothers killed in a murder-suicide Tuesday in front of other family members was the driver of a car that struck the vehicle driven by Moraine Mayor Bob Rosencrans, killing him.

The man, Mark A. Myles Jr., 21, was the driver of the car that struck the vehicle driven by Rosencrans, who died Oct. 15 on Gettysburg Avenue near the U.S. 35 overpass in the accident, which is still under investigation. No charges have been filed.

Police gave this account of the shooting: Shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday, the two brothers got into an argument in front of family members. The brothers walked into the back yard of Myles’ home at 2900 Millicent Ave.

That’s where one brother shot and killed the other with a semi-automatic handgun, then shot himself in the head in front of family members, according to Lt. Robert Chabali.

The other brother was identified as Kevin Valentine, 28, of Bluecrest Avenue in Jefferson Twp., according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. Both males were pronounced dead at 3:31 p.m. and their autopsies are scheduled for Wednesday.

The brothers had a history of disputes between them, Chabali said.

It is not believed the fight between the brothers was about the fatal wreck, said Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl on Tuesday. Police are still awaiting lab results in the traffic case and are gathering evidence, Biehl said.

“It’s an incredible sequence of events,” Biehl said.

Shante Jones, whose son knows one of the family members, said, “This is shocking. It’s always quiet over there.”

Jones said the household members included the older brothers, a younger brother in his early teens, and their mother.

Brandy Rosencrans, the mayor’s daughter, received word of the deaths Tuesday evening. “We’re shocked by all of it,” she said. “We feel for their family. They have our sympathies.”

Rosencrans, 61, originally from east Dayton, lived in Moraine for almost 30 years. He was elected last November after being recalled in 2007. Rosencrans had been waiting to turn left from South Gettysburg Avenue onto a U.S. 35 entrance ramp when an oncoming car that was possibly drag racing struck his car shortly after 7:30 p.m., police said. Myles, another adult and a child in the other vehicle were injured and taken to hospitals.

Staff Writer Kelli Wynn contributed to this report.