Wife Shoots Husband Who Returns To Her In Ohio After He Was Declared Dead 12 Years Ago

Jet, Nov 13, 2000

A Black man missing for 20 years and declared dead about 12 years ago recently showed up mysteriously at the home of his former wife, who shot him after he refused to leave.

Ben Holmes, 48, who was recuperating at his family's home in Youngstown, OH, at JET press time, was shot by Addie D. Holmes, 50, when he arrived at her home as she was leaving for work, the Vindicator (Youngstown, OH) reported.

Addie Holmes' attorney, James S. Gentile, said when she "kind of invited him in," he made subtle threats "and her whole world falls apart," the newspaper reported. Ben Holmes told her they were still married and that he was entitled to half the contents of her house. When she told him he had to leave, he went upstairs and got into a bed, police Patrolman Dave Copanic said. Police said she shot him twice in the stomach. A .22-caliber gun was found in the bedroom.

Police speculate that Ben Holmes returned to his wife after he got news of her recent remarriage to James Crawley Jr. According to Gentile, Crawley had not yet moved in with Holmes and her daughter when Ben Holmes visited.

Addie Holmes was taken to Mahoning County Jail, charged with felonious assault and released on $5,000 bond.

The Vindicator reported Addie Holmes had Ben Holmes, who had been missing since 1980, declared legally dead in 1988 because she wanted to purchase a house and the bank giving her a mortgage advised her to do so.

Police discovered a 20-year-old aggravated arson charge against Ben Holmes and a related arrest warrant that was voided because Holmes had been declared dead.

On Oct. 31, 1979, Holmes' ranch-style house in Hubbard Township was leveled by an explosion and he and another man suffered second-degree burns. Investigators classified the fire as arson and charged both men, the Vindicator reported. On Sept. 29, 1980, Holmes borrowed a relative's car to drive to the Trumball County court hearing, but never arrived. The car was found, but Holmes had disappeared. Even though he later was declared dead, the FBI still had him listed as a fugitive.

In an added twist, Holmes also had been charged with attempting to get a witness, Keith Penn, to change his testimony in the arson case by offering to reveal the whereabouts of Penn's missing brother, James, the paper reported.

James Penn was reported missing Aug. 8, 1980. His decomposed body later was found in a field in Youngstown on April 4,1981. He had been strangled.