A standoff on Cleveland’s east side ended in handcuffs late last Friday morning as federal agents finally caught up with a man accused of a fatal shooting that has haunted an Ohio neighborhood for nearly five years.
Regis Hill, 30, was taken into custody by the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force following a tactical breach of a home on Kewanee Avenue. Hill had been the subject of an intensive manhunt since February, when Cleveland detectives officially linked him to the 2021 death of Santino Wilson.
The case dates back to the afternoon of July 5, 2021. According to police reports, Wilson, 39, was simply walking down the sidewalk near East 75th and Kinsman Avenue when he was caught in the crossfire of a verbal dispute between two groups of men.
The argument escalated into a shootout, and a stray bullet struck Wilson in the chest. He later died at a nearby hospital.
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While the trail was cold for years, the Cleveland Division of Police eventually identified Hill as the primary suspect earlier this year and handed the case to the U.S. Marshals last month.
The arrest didn’t happen quietly. Members of the task force spotted a vehicle known to be used by Hill in the 19400 block of Kewanee Avenue. Officers surrounded the residence and ordered Hill to come out, but despite seeing movement inside the house, the occupant refused to open the door. Task force members eventually forced entry and apprehended Hill without further violence.
U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott emphasized the commitment of local and federal law enforcement to see these cold cases through to the end.
“This type of careless violence has no place in our communities,” Elliott said. “We will hold those who commit these terrible crimes and who take the victims from their families accountable. The Cleveland Police and the U.S. Marshals Service will not give up on cases such as this, solving them and finding those responsible.”
Hill is currently being held as he awaits the next steps in his aggravated murder case. Authorities continue to encourage anyone with information on other outstanding fugitives to contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED.
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