8-25-2009 Ohio:The city of Newark has recorded its second homicide of the year. The latest happened around 10:15 Monday night on West Harrison Street.
A disconnected 911 call alerted authorities to a problem at 59 West Harrison Street. When police arrived they found the many residents of the rooming house, but didn't see a victim.
"They did a very good job It would have been easy turn around and say well there's no disturbance, but they did an excellent job in continuing the call and locating the victim," says Sgt. Scott Snow, Newark Police Department.
After searching the house, 25-year-old John Stouffer was found stabbed to death in his room. For neighbor Donna Queen, whose boyfriend lives at the home the discovery was shocking.
"I was scared, because I live here by myself and I was scared. I mean that's too close to home," says Queen.
Neighbors say with people going to and from the house it's hard to tell if there's anything suspicious going on.
"Sometimes it's kind of scary because you don't know who's going in and out. There's always quite a bit of traffic. You don't know who lives there and who don't," says Queen.
Sgt. Snow says the public should not be worried, because they don't believe this was a random act of violence, they are interviewing multiple residents of the house.
"The investigators are kind of wading through the scene and wading through the evidence and they'll be doing extensive interviews with each resident," says Snow.
Neighbors say it's some of the homes residents they're concerned about.
Authorities say the victim Stouffer was a convicted sex offender who was arrested for propositioning a child.
Queen says several residents of the home are criminals and she'd like to see the buildings owner take action.
"For the owner to like know the person that's going to be renting there, to know their background, you know a little bit more about who she's letting rent there."
Licking County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward up to $1000 for information leading to the arrest of Stouffer's killer. If you have any information on the murder call the Newark Division of Police Detective Bureau at (740) 670-7215. ..Source.. by Kelly Gilmartin
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4 Arrested In Stabbing Death
8-28-2009 Ohio:
NEWARK, Ohio — Four people were arrested Thursday in connection with a man's stabbing death in a rooming house.
Police were called to the home on West Harrison Street at about 10 p.m. Monday, 10TV News reported.
Residents at the home told the officers that nothing was wrong, but they searched the house as a precaution and found John Stouffer's body in an upstairs room.
He was stabbed several times and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police arrested Beth Anne Doty, William Withem, William Snyder and Jason Stone in connection with the murder.
Stone, 20, was charged with murder. Doty, 29, Withem, 45, and Snyder, 33, were charged with complicity to murder.
All four people were expected to be arraigned on Friday. ..Source.. by 10TV News
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5th Stabbing Suspect Held On $1M Bond
9-25-2009 Ohio:
A 5th suspect arrested in connection with the stabbing death of a Newark man is being held on a $1,000,0000 bond.
Licking County Municipal Court officials say the case of 20-year-old Nicholas Wallace will now go before a Licking County Grand Jury next week.
Newark Police Sgt. Scott Snow says Wallace was arrested Thursday afternoon around 4:30.
He's being charged with aggravated murder and tampering with evidence in the death of 25-year-old John Stouffer.
He's currently being held in the Licking County Justice Center.
Stouffer was found stabbed to death at a West Jefferson Street home in Newark on August 24.
Four other suspects, Jason Stone, William Snyder, William Withem and Beth Doty have all been charged in Stouffer's death and are being held in the Licking County Justice Center. ..Source.. by WHIZ News
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Man Sentenced in Newark Murder.
12-18-2009 Ohio:
A 20-year-old Newark man will spend 18-years-to-life in prison in connection with an August murder.
Nicholas Wallace was sentenced Friday in Licking County Common Pleas Court on charges of murder, aggravated murder, aggravated burglary and tampering with evidence in the stabbing death of 25-year-old John Stouffer on August 24 in Newark.
Four other co-defendants in the case have yet to go on trial. ..Source.. WHIZ News
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Man gets 18 years to life in stabbing death
12-18-2009 Ohio:
NEWARK — A 20-year-old man, sentenced to 18 years to life in prison for his role in the stabbing death of a Newark man, addressed the court with regret and gratitude.
“Thank you very much for showing me some mercy,” Nicholas B. Wallace said at his sentencing Friday.
Wallace, last known address 33 S. Sixth St., pleaded no contest to aggravated murder and murder, both unclassified felonies, aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony, and tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.
Licking County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Marcelain sentenced Wallace to 15 years to life for aggravated murder, which merged with the murder and aggravated burglary counts, and three years for the tampering with evidence charge. Wallace could have faced up to life in prison and a $55,000 fine, Marcelain said.
On Aug. 24, Newark police were called to a rooming house at 59 W. Harrison St. after reports of screams coming from John Stouffer’s room, Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Dan Huston said.
Police found Stouffer, 25, dead on the floor after being stabbed 29 times, allegedly at the command of leaders of a “Death Demon” club, Huston said. The reported leaders have not been charged.
Wallace gave the weapon to co-defendant Jason Stone, who stabbed Stouffer multiple times after co-defendant William Snyder got Stouffer to open the door under the pretense of talking about Stouffer’s truck, Huston said.
Co-defendant Beth Doty, who believed she was pregnant with Stouffer’s child, solicited the “Death Demons” to “take care of him,” Huston said. William Withem, also charged in connection with the killing, drove his co-defendants to and from the crime scene, according to court records.Wallace also burned blood-soaked clothing after the stabbing in an attempt to remove evidence, Huston said.
“He was a very young individual being influenced by people he should have known not to be influenced by,” said Wallace’s attorney, Matthew Dawson.
Wallace said had time to think about the events while in jail and expressed regret for not going to authorities at the first sign of trouble.
“No amount of apologies can end the pain or hurt this has caused his family,” Wallace said.
Wallace was the last of the five to be indicted in Stouffer’s stabbing death but the first to be sentenced. Wallace’s case was expedited because he did not ask for a competency hearing, admitted to his role and expressed remorse, Huston said.
“Mr. Wallace takes full responsibility for his actions,” Dawson said. ..Source.. by JESSIE BALMERT, Advocate Reporter
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Attorney wants second evaluation for man charged in stabbing
1-6-2010 Ohio:
ARK -- The attorney for a 46-year-old man charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of a Newark man asked for a second assessment of his client's mental competency.
The first assessment declared him mentally retarded but fit to stand trial. Visiting Judge Jon Spahr accepted the reports that indicated William F. Withem, last known address 39 S. Sixth St., Newark, was able to understand his alleged actions were wrong and participate in court proceedings.
Withem's attorney, Diane Menashe, asked Spahr for an additional assessment because the report indicated her client is mentally retarded.
Withem has an IQ of 65, cannot read or write adequately and has records with the Department of Developmental Disabilities dating back to age 16, Menashe said.
"I have a real concern about his ability to retain information," she said.
Withem and his four co-defendants were charged with aggravated murder and murder, both unclassified felonies; and aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony.
On Aug. 26, Withem drove his co-defendants to a rooming house at 59 W. Harrison St., knowing a resident, John Stouffer, would be killed there, according to court records.
Withem drove a witness to buy cigarettes to get the man away from the scene, according to court records.
After reviewing Withem's mental-health records, Menashe wrote that she had grave concerns about Withem's ability to understand the nature and objectives of these proceedings and assist in his own defense.
One of Withem's co-defendants, Nicholas B. Wallace, was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison in connection with Stouffer's death.
Co-defendants Jason C. Stone, Beth A. Doty and William C. Snyder were found competent to stand trial. Withem's attorney was the only one to ask for a second evaluation. ..Source.. by JESSIE BALMERT, Advocate Reporter
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Woman Learns Fate In 'Death Demons' Stabbing
2-3-2010 Ohio:
NEWARK, Ohio — A woman was sentenced Wednesday after admitting her role in a fatal stabbing that was apparently linked to a cult called the Death Demons.
Beth Doty, 29, said she asked fellow members to kill her boyfriend, John Stouffer, in August, 10TV News reported.
Police found John Stouffer, 25, stabbed to death in a rooming house after someone reported screaming.
Doty received a 20-year prison sentence for her role in the slaying.
Three other men are awaiting trial in the case, while a fourth man is already serving 18 years to life in prison. ..Source.. by 10TV News
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Woman Guilty of Murder
2-3-2010 Ohio:
A Newark woman will spend at least 20 years in prison for a murder last August.
Wednesday in Licking County Common Pleas Court 29-year-old Beth Doty pled guilty to one count of aggravated murder and one count of aggravated burglary.
Doty is believed to be the organizer of a group that stabbed 25-year-old John Stouffer to death August 24 on West Harrison Street in Newark.
Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Dan Huston says Doty is 8 months pregnant and believes Stouffer is the child's father. Huston says Doty has another child that she does not have custody of and was concerned she would lose custody of her unborn child, because Stouffer was a convicted sex offender.
For her actions Judge Thomas Marcelain sentenced Doty to 20 years in prison before she has the possibility of parole.
In December, 20-year-old Nicholas Wallace was sentenced to 18-years-to-life in prison on charges related to Stouffer's death.
Other people believed to be involved in the crime 20-year-old Jason Stone, 34-year-old William Snyder and 46-year-old William Withem have yet to go on trial. ..Source.. by Kelly Mills
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