Van Wert murder case continued until 2025

Nov. 12—VAN WERT — The state of Ohio's case of Larry Andrus, charged with murder in the Sept. 30, 2023 death of Roy Watts at his residence on South Vine Street in Van Wert, was continued Tuesday until next year as parties await a report from a medical expert hired by the defense.

Defense attorney Barry Schroeder filed a motion with the court on Aug. 8 asking to obtain an expert witness to offer a medical opinion which varies from one reportedly conveyed by Chris Ulrich, deputy coroner in the Van Wert County Coroner's Office, that asphyxiation was a contributing cause in Watts' death.

Schroeder has pointed out in court filings that the death certificate for Watts makes no reference to asphyxiation as a contributing factor nor was such a finding contained in the autopsy report.

Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Martin Burchfield in late September authorized the defense to obtain an opinion from L.J. Dragovic, M.D.

During a pre-trial hearing Tuesday Schroeder said he anticipates Dragovic's report will be released in the near future. Burchfield offered a hypothetical timeline — allowing for the defense's filing of that report and the state's opportunity to respond to its findings, in addition to state motions already pending before the court that must be resolved — that pushes the case into January of 2025.

A final pre-trial hearing was scheduled for Jan. 6. No trial date has yet been established.

Andrus is charged in the death of Watts, 54, who was found dead at his residence more than 13 months ago. The death was initially deemed "suspicious," and an autopsy performed by the Lucas County Coroner's Office ruled Watts' death was the result of a homicide. A subsequent investigation led police to believe that Andrus, 49, may have contributed to Watts' death.

A grand jury returned indictments against the Van Wert resident on Nov. 2, 2023, for murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, strangulation and felonious assault. Andrus was arrested at a bus station in Dade County, Florida, a few days later and was transported to the Van Wert County jail, where he remains.

Featured Local Savings