Break in ‘Black Jack’s’ murder

By MARK TODD - Staff Writer - mtodd@starbeacon.com
Star Beacon

October 22, 2008 08:09 pm

— Two men have been arrested in the 12-year-old murder of a Sheffield Township businessman, Ashtabula County Sheriff William Johnson said Wednesday.
One of the suspects was arrested Tuesday night and is being held in the county jail. The 33-year-old man, whom Johnson declined to identify, could be arraigned today, he said.
The second suspect is a 42-year-old inmate at the Lake Erie Correctional Institution in Conneaut, Johnson said.
Johnson declined to elaborate on the evidence against the men but said, “I feel comfortable in saying we’re coming to a conclusion in this case.”
The violent death of Leonard “Black Jack” Estes, 66, was one of the more gruesome murders in recent memory, Johnson said. He was shot and stabbed repeatedly inside his Griggs Road business, One-Eyed Jack’s Western Trading Co., on Nov. 20, 1996.
Information that surfaced recently allowed Lt. Van Robison and Detective Joe Niemi to revive the case, Johnson said.
“Based on information received, some leads were followed,” he said. “They did a fantastic job.”
Both suspects were believed to have been either county residents or familiar with the county at the time of the crime, Johnson said. The 33-year-old, who also had spent time in Pittsburgh, was found in the Cleveland area and brought to Jefferson, Johnson said.
Estes operated a store that sold guns, outdoor equipment, gems and Native American merchandise, according to reports at the time. A friend contacted the sheriff’s department when she could not locate Estes.
A deputy checked the store, located next to Estes’ home, and found the body, according to news reports.
At the time, investigators ruled out robbery as a motive because of the many valuables left inside the store. There was evidence of a struggle, deputies said at the time.
The arrests demonstrate every cold case, even one a dozen years old, has the potential to heat up, Johnson said.
“It’s good solid police work,” he said. “We don’t put (cases) in a drawer and forget about them. The guys did their jobs. You’ve got to take your hat off to them.”