Monday was the fourth consecutive New Year's Day marred by homicide in Greater Cincinnati.

        Four homicides were reported Monday — three in Springfield Township and one in Avondale.

        The city also had one homicide each on New Year's Day in 1998, 1999 and 2000.

        Springfield Township officers are looking for a trio of suspects in the killing of three people and stabbing of another late Monday night in what was described as a planned hit.

        In the Avondale homicide, investigators Tuesday charged Matthew Harper, 29, with one count of murder in the shooting death of his cousin, Ruben Ballew, 24, in the head while at Babe Baker's Cocktail Lounge early Monday.

        Mr. Harper, of the 11000 block of Newgate Drive, turned himself into police Tuesday afternoon.

        Police found Mr. Ballew with a gunshot wound to the head near the front door of the bar. He was pronounced dead at University Hospital.

        Other cities experiencing violence this New Year's:

        • New York recorded its first homicide of 2001 when a teen died of chest and stomach stab wounds about 90 minutes after midnight. Police said they had no motive and no suspects.

        • In Los Angeles County, stray bullets fired into the air by New Year's revelers Monday killed a 31-year-old man and wounded five others, including a 10-year-old boy.

        • In Seattle, a Fort Lewis soldier was fatally shot early Monday after being beaten by three men in front of scores of revelers stuck in downtown traffic after the city's annual New Year's Eve fireworks display, police said. A bystander also was hit by a stray bullet in the shooting just before 1 a.m.

        The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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