By Jane Prendergast
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Five arrests in eight days in Cincinnati homicides, plus a newly identified suspect in another case, boosted the city's closure rate for 2002 to nearly 50 percent.

Officials attribute the success to everything from tenacity and luck to increasing drug confiscations, better Crime Stoppers tips and the fact that the 13 investigators have been able to focus on current cases instead of taking on new ones.

There hasn't been a new killing since Nov. 23. The total this year stands at 60, three away from last year's 14-year high.

"They solved five murders in one day," Chief Tom Streicher said. "That's tremendous."

These arrests were made, mostly Wednesday:

Gregory Curtis, 21, of Walnut Hills, for the Oct. 6 death of Cynthia Clendenin, 35, of Westwood.

Reggie Sanders, 20, accused of killing Jeremy Hargrow on Nov. 17 in Northside.

Eric Brundage, 19, the second suspect in the Nov. 23 death of Larry Thomas in Over-the-Rhine.

Charles Williams, 21, of the West End, charged with murdering Gregory E. Billings Jr. on May 3 in English Woods. Mr. Williams was arrested Friday.

Grady Ashley, a 17-year-old charged with murder in the Nov. 3 killing of Tyrone McCray in the West End. Mr. Ashley was arrested Dec. 6.

Investigators this week also named a suspect in another homicide:

Brian Witlow, 17, is accused of shooting to death Rita Michelle Walter, 38, on Sept. 1 in South Fairmount.

Detectives got some unexpected help when Mr. Curtis stood up in court during an unrelated matter and admitted he strangled a woman in October. Investigators checked and matched it to Ms. Clendenin.

"They don't come like that too often, unfortunately," said Lt. Roger Wolf, homicide unit supervisor.

Of the 60 homicide cases this year, detectives have closures in 29, for a rate of more than 48 percent, said Capt. Vince Demasi, commander of the Criminal Investigations Section. That's double the rate from early this summer and closer to the national average of 63 percent, according to U.S. Department of Justice figures for 2000.

The rate nationally continues to decline as fewer killings are domestic-related and more are linked to drugs and gangs.

Capt. Demasi has continued to point out the strong link between homicides and drugs, saying no one wants to "rat" somebody out and fear retaliation.

The drug seizure numbers:

• Crack cocaine: 2,207 grams as of Nov. 1, more than double last year's 1,011 grams.

• Heroin: 319 grams, up from 15 grams last year.

• Prescription doses: 1,426, up from 380.

• Money: $91,210, more than three times last year's $26,226.

"We're hoping that's slowed the homicides," Capt. Demasi said. "There's such a connection. All we can do is keep trying to get this stuff off the street."

E-mail jprendergast@enquirer.com