Man brutally assaulted baby years before bragging about setting Big Mac Bridge on fire

CINCINNATI – Terry Stiles got into a fight with officers last week after his arrest in connection with the Big Mac Bridge fire. Hours after his unruly behavior landed him in a restraint chair and spit mask inside the Hamilton County Jail, fire investigators told a judge that Stiles made it clear: He would never go back to jail. I would rather die.

Stiles is charged with aggravated arson, accused of setting the fire on Nov. 1. He’s being held on $1 million bail, but the 39-year-old is no stranger to a cell.

Immediately after Stiles’ arrest, the WCPO investigated his criminal history. an extensive history dating back to his youthful years. His charges include assault, aggravated menacing, robbery, burglary and illegal possession of firearms.

Over the years, Stiles has been in several courtrooms and faced several judges. While he received some convictions, many of his charges were dismissed or grand juries declined to indict him.

Stiles served eight years in prison for a felony assault conviction in 2005. He pleaded guilty to shaking and severely beating a 5-month-old child. That child was Carl Leggett, Jr., Shannon Jordan Best’s first grandchild.

shannon jordan best

“Carl was always smiling. Carl was a happy baby. He had some stomach problems, so we had to give him a special formula, but other than that, he was always laughing and laughing. He was smart. He was a little ahead of his months,” Best said. “If you were hugging him and talking to someone, he would try to get your attention and yell ‘Hey!’ and you’d look at him and say, ‘Hello!’ and he’d laugh, that deep little laugh. And he had the sweetest little face and the sweetest little voice he was developing.”

Best sat down with WCPO on Wednesday to share memories of his grandson. She would never hear Carl utter any other words beyond his baby babbling because the trauma inflicted on the baby’s brain the night of his assault caused irreparable damage.

Carl developed cerebral palsy and scoliosis and his limbs could not grow properly. He could never speak or walk. He eventually lost vision in both eyes and could not eat alone.

“Surgeries, medication constantly. Towards the end of his life, he was receiving medication every hour on the hour. I mean, he didn’t sleep. Every hour the alarm on my phone went off to give him the injection of medicine. Pain medicine, seizure medicine : I was on four different seizure medications, four,” Best said. “I think at one point 43 syringes a day… His whole little life was nothing but pain.”

shannon jordan best

Carl’s grief ended in 2019. He died at the age of 14 due to complications from his traumatic brain injury. The Hamilton County coroner ruled the boy’s death a homicide, and three months later, prosecutors charged Stiles with murder.

“Carl, he was just a little light. He was. He was so amazing and this monster took him away, for no other reason than he was a monster,” Best said.

Best said that when Stiles learned of his impending arrest, he attempted to elude officers by hiding in the brush along the Ohio River. The officers had to use their Tasers to take Stiles into custody.

Before running toward the river, Best said Stiles proclaimed a statement almost identical to what he allegedly said a week ago.

“He said he wasn’t going to go back to jail,” she said. “He was going to commit suicide by cop.”

If convicted, Stiles could have faced 15 years to life in prison, but the case never went to trial. A judge dismissed the murder charge, citing two Ohio Supreme Court decisions that state that, in most circumstances, prosecutors cannot charge someone with murder in connection with a death after that person has pleaded guilty of a misdemeanor in the same crime.

WCPO

Court documents show Stiles has continued down an alleged criminal path in the five years since. He racked up charges including obstruction of official business and unlawful possession of a firearm, an OVI and criminal trespass. Most of the charges were ignored.

Stiles was charged in April with criminal trespassing. That case is pending. A grand jury is scheduled to hear his aggravated arson case on Friday, as well as the cases against the three other suspects charged in connection with the Big Mac Bridge fire.

Best said he believes the fire would never have happened if justice had been served against Stiles five years ago. When his name was thrust back into the spotlight, Best felt a sense of frustration and vindication.

“I thought I should have never seen the light of day again. I shouldn’t have. I should have been trapped in the room… Why were you walking our streets? I mean, I shouldn’t have. I shouldn’t have said it on his death certificate: homicide by injury in 2005. I mean, what more did the state need? He caused a homicide and walked away free, so that was the biggest slap in the face,” Best said. “Ohio State, I told you. I told you I wasn’t a good person, that I shouldn’t be walking the streets and having karma. Now it’s costing you 10 million dollars. It cost us a life.”