Man charged with murder, rape in 1989 Licking County cold case
NEWARK, Ohio (WCMH) – A 67-year-old man is facing murder and rape charges in connection with a 1989 Licking County homicide.
On Thursday, Delbert Saunders Jr. was indicted by a grand jury on charges of aggravated murder, murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and rape in relation to a homicide that occurred 'on or about' April 20, 1989, according to Licking County court records. Saunders would have been 31 years old at the time.
While the indictment does not state who the victim was, on Thursday, Newark police announced that the department will be holding a news conference on Monday to share 'recent developments' in the homicide of 71-year-old Helen Stuart. A Facebook page dedicated to Stuart run by her family also made a post Friday stating an arrest has been made in her case.
'Helen was a beloved mother, grandmother, and woman of deep faith,' the post reads. 'She was taken from us in 1989, and for decades, her case remained unsolved. This page was created with hope—hope that someone, somewhere, knew something that could help us find the truth. And now, that day has come.'
An Ohio Attorney General unsolved homicide database states on April 21, 1989, Stuart was found dead in the back of her silver 1981 Ford Fairmont on State Route 16 near State Route 668 in Licking County.
An investigation revealed that the homicide possibly occurred at Stuart's residence before she was transported to where her remains were found. Stuart was sexually assaulted and strangled to death, according to the attorney general's office.
Saunders is currently in prison at the Noble Correctional Institution, as he was found guilty of separate rape and kidnapping charges in 2003, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. His eligible parole date is currently listed as Oct. 1, 2026.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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