OTTAWA — Two Ottawa men have been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection to Thursday night’s stabbing death of 24-year-old Paul Duane Nicholson II, 24, Ottawa,during a fight at a home in the 200 block of South Locust. Police Lt. Adam Weingartner identifed the men as John David Balbirnie, 44; and Brandon Ellsmore, 23. Balbirnie was booked into the Franklin County Jail this morning and Ellsmore was booked later. Ellsmore has a Facebook page and on it, he described trouble with someone who he claimed burned him and stole money from him. Ellsmore rhetorically asked what to do about someone who did something bad to him. On his Facebook page, he replies “I know what I wanna do but it’s not good for either of us.” His Facebook page didn’t identify the other person. Ellsmore described himself as a “nightlife salesman.” This is the first homicide in Ottawa this year.
Thursday, July 29, 9:30 a.m.
