Katelyn Lofaro is shown at left in an ambulance shortly after her cousin, Ashley Lockhart, was killed in the parking lot of an Austintown apartment complex Oct. 8. In the back is Austintown detective Jordan Yacovone on Lofaro’s cellphone talking to Steve W. Green III, the man accused of killing Lockhart. At right is an ambulance worker.

YOUNGSTOWN — Steve W. Green III, 26, told an Austintown police detective early Oct. 9 in a recorded interview at the Austintown Police Department that he shot his ex-girlfriend a couple of hours earlier because she would not let him see his daughter.

Green’s remarks were played for Judge Anthony D’Apolito on Monday during a hearing in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. The hearing was to determine whether Green’s statements should be suppressed from evidence in the killing of Ashley Lockhart, 25, outside of an apartment building on Compass West Drive in Austintown.

Green’s attorney, Mark Lavelle, asked for the statements to be suppressed. Lavelle argued that Green may have “blacked out” and had no memory of the events that unfolded the previous evening and also may have been under the influence of Xanax.

Therefore, Green could not make any statements in a “voluntary,” “knowing, intelligent” way, with “sufficient awareness of the relevant circumstances and likely consequences,” Lavelle said in a filing in the case.

During the interview, Green did briefly say he “just kind of blacked out” after the shooting and “just drove around.”

Green, who is charged with aggravated murder, turned himself in to Austintown police shortly after the killing. In fact, Austintown detective Lt. Jordan Yacovone was talking to Green before Green turned himself in.

Green had called the cellphone of Katelyn Lofaro, cousin and best friend of Ashley Lockhart, while Lofaro was in an ambulance with Yacovone shortly after the shooting.

Lockhart and Lofaro had been planning a night out and were together when the shooting took place. After the shooting, Green called Lofaro’s phone, but Austintown police officers asked her not to answer the call initially. Yacovone did answer the call and spoke with Green. Yacovone then made arrangements for Green to meet with Yacovone to talk about what had happened.

At the end of Monday’s hearing, D’Apolito said he would rule on the evidence suppression either later this week or next week.

Psychological evaluations have deemed Green sane at the time of the shooting.

Yacovone testified under questioning by Rob Andrews, county assistant prosecutor, and Green’s defense attorney, Mark Lavelle, that Green was “alert,” “very coherent,” and was in fact, being “helpful” to police by telling them the location along Robbins Avenue in Niles where Green said he tossed the gun he had used.

Austintown police did not find the gun that night but went back in the daylight and found it, Yacovone said.

Green, of Youngstown, showed no hyperactivity, and was not emotional or angry during his interview. He just told Yacovone the reason he shot Lockhart, then wrote out his statement and signed it. When asked to clarify a few points, he obliged. Green pointed on a map the location where police could find the gun.

After the videotaped interview was played in court, Lavelle asked Yacovone if it is true that when Yacovone read Green his rights and asked Green if he understood them, Green never responded yes or no verbally.

Yacovone agreed it is true, but Green did nod his head yes two times. And Green wrote out his statement and signed it, Yacovone noted.

Green sat quietly and unemotionally throughout the hearing.