Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Hocking Hills State Park alleged murder case now moves to grand jury

In a November 5th probable cause hearing before Hocking County Juvenile Court Judge Jonah Saving, two 16-year-old defendants accused of killing 44-year-old Chillicothe photographer Victoria Shafer at Hocking Hills State Park on September 2nd were bound over for trail as adults.
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The two defendants alleged to have killed Shafer are Jaden W. Churchheus and Jordan A. Buckley, both of Hocking County’s Logan. Their bonds were set at $100,000 each by Judge Saving, but they remain incarcerated in the Multi-County Juvenile Detention Center in Lancaster.

Should the youths post bound they each will be required to wear an ankle monitor.

Churchhaus and Buckley have been charged with murder, which is an Unclassified Felony punishable by up to life in prison.

Other charges include Felonious Assault, a felony in the second degree and punishable by jail time from two to eight years, a fine of up to $15,000, or both; as well as Involuntary Manslaughter, a felony of the first degree and punishable by jail time of three to 11 years, a fine of up to $20,000, or both or both.

They cannot be sentenced to both the murder and manslaughter charges, but the duel accusations gives a jury – either a grand jury or a trial jury - room to decide the youths’ fate, should either one or both be found guilty, said Hocking County assistant prosecutor Jorden Meadows.

The duel charges would also allow the defense teams and the prosecutor’s office room to negotiate a plea bargain, Meadows said.

Meadows said as well the case is to be turned over the Hocking County Grand Jury which will hear testimony from witnesses and the prosecutor, likely “before the end of the month.”

It’s possible the grand jury may decide which charge to go with,” Meadows said.

Should the Hocking County Grand Jury agree with one or all of the charges, an arraignment hearing will be set along with a new bond hearing, Meadows said.

Details of the September 2nd incident allege the two youths caused a 74-pound, six-foot long log to strike and kill Shafer.

Investigators with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Hocking County Sheriffs Office say Schafer was standing about 75 feet below and on a staircase at Old Man’s Cave, located within 2,356-acre Hocking Hills State Park, when she was killed instantly by the log.

Meadows said also a video of testimony taken by investigators alleges that Churchhouse flipped the log over a downed tree while Buckley is alleged to have pushed the log.

However, a female youth - who accompanied Churchhouse and Buckley to the park - said the former was the one who pitched the log off the ledge. However, the female provided testimony earlier in the hearing that she did not know who was actually responsible for the act, Meadows said.

Investigators allege the log was removed from a pile about 40 feet from the ledge, which was above a second ledge before the final drop to where Shafer is said to have been, Meadows and news accounts agree on saying.

We’ve never done this before in Hocking County so we’ve reached to prosecutors in other counties to get out our bearings, and also to the (Ohio) Attorney General for advice,” Meadows said. “It has been a difficult case.”

Sarah Wickham – the Natural Resources Department’s communications chief – said her agency was part of a team that included various local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, the Southern Ohio Ohio Crime Stoppers, as well as “valuable input from members of the public.”

This collaboration has been key to the process, and strengthened investigators conclusions,” Wickham said, “The ODNR continues to track this case and provide any support required as this process continues through the courts.”

Churchheus has retained the service of Logan attorney Ryan Shepler while Buckley has done the same with Athens attorney K. Robert Toy. At press time, neither attorney had responded to inquiries regarding this case as it relates to their respective clients.


- By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net
JFrischk4@gmail.com

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