BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      The Boardman Police Department’s cold case investigation into the death of 12-year-old Bradley Bellino, whose body was found in a dumpster behind the Boardman Plaza on Apr. 4, 1972 is continuing with the aid of DNA testing that, at the time of Bellino’s death, was unavailable.
      Acting upon the recommendation of Police Chief Todd Werth, Boardman Trustees approved $3500 to hire Parabon Nanolabs, of Reston, Va., to conduct a snapshot genetic genealogy analysis of DNA evidence, body fluids, obtained from the crime scene.
      That evidence has already been tested through Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification data bases, and an initial round of DNA screenings was conducted in Oct., 2018 by Parabon.
      “They found some potential matches in the data base, and there is definitely more work they can do,” Capt. Albert Kakascik of the Boardman Police Department said this week.
      The DNA testing that will be performed by Parabon could even provide an image of what a potential suspect would look like.
      More than 46 years ago, 12-year-old Bradley Bellino, of 61 McClurg Rd., left home at noon, apparently walking to the home of a friend, Donald Templenon, 733 Teakwood Dr., in Applewood Acres.
      A criminal complaint obtained by The Boardman News says about 7:30 p.m. on Mar. 31, the boy failed to return home.
      The following day, Debbie Bellino notified police about 3:20 p.m. that Bradley was missing.
      Three days later, at 8:02 a.m. on Apr. 4, employees of Varie Bros. Trash Co. called police saying they found a body in a dumpster behind the Boardman Plaza.
      Ptl. Glenn Bowers and Ptl. George Statler answered the call and the body was identified as the Bellino boy.
      A belt (from JCPenney) was found strapped around his neck. The strap bore teeth marks, and body fluid, not Bellino’s, was later discovered on the boy’s pants.
      On Apr. 12, 1972, then Mahoning County Coroner Dr. David Belinky ruled Bradley Bellino’s death was the result of strangulation. Dr. Belinky said the interval between the onset of death and actual death was “sudden.”
      “We are now looking at familial DNA to see if we can develop a new lead in the case,” Werth said.
      For years the Bellino case stood dormant, until 2001, when the Boardman Police Department revisited the case and could not develop any new leads.
      Sources suggest a list of at least 20 possible suspects was developed.
      “Only four or five of those people seem to stand out,” Capt. Albert Kakascik told The Boardman News.