Upcoming trail dates set for two accused in Hocking Hills State Park death

The case against two Hocking County youths alleged to have caused the September 2nd, 2019 death 44-year-old Chillicothe photographer Victoria Shafer at Hocking Hills State Park is making its way through the court system.

Jaden W. Churchheus and Jordan A. Buckley, both of Hocking County’s Logan, have been charged with murder, which is an Unclassified Felony punishable by up to life in prison.

Some of details of the September 2nd incident allege the two youths caused a 74-pound, six-foot long log to strike and kill Shafer. Shafer was at the park in order to take graduation photographs of several area students, none of whom were injured during the alleged incident.

Investigators with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Hocking County Sheriffs Office allege 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.

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, a Hocking County assistant prosecutor later said.

The Hocking County assistant prosecutor also said later that 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.

As far as where the case now stands, Hocking County prosecutor Benjamin E. Fickel did not respond to repeated inquiries into the status of the cases against the two accused.

However, a review of the Hocking County Clerk of Court’s records shows that for accused Churchheus a January 27th trail before Hocking County Common Pleas Court Judge John T. Wallace is designated as “event canceled.” But a new jury conference before Judge Wallace is tentatively set for March 3rd with a jury trail date tentatively set for March 16th though 20th, also before Judge Wallace.

In accused Buckley’s case, the Clerk of Court’s records show a jury trial was set for February 3rd before Judge Wallace and is marked “event continued.” Meanwhile a “motion to suppress hearing” before Judge Wallace is now tentatively set for March 5th.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

JFrischk4@gmail.com