Latest news with #AshtabulaCountySheriff'sOffice
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Armed man wanted after deadly shooting in Ashtabula County
LENOX TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) — A manhunt is underway in Ashtabula County after a fatal shooting early Monday morning in Lenox Township. Authorities responded to a 911 call at 6:11 a.m. reporting a shooting at 3578 State Route 46. Motorcycle pulling a camper trailer overturns in fatal crash A 62-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office. Ohio school board makes unanimous decision to suspend high school Investigators have identified 42-year-old Timothy Adams as the suspect in the killing. He fled the scene in a red 2006 Ford Explorer with Ohio license plate KJK-9368, deputies said. Adams is wanted for aggravated murder and is believed to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on Adams' whereabouts is asked to call 911 or contact the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office immediately. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Jefferson man arrested in California cold case from the 70s
JEFFERSON — A village man arrested in a 1977 cold case murder in California waived his right to an extradition hearing Tuesday afternoon before Eastern County Court Judge Harold Specht, Ashtabula County Prosecutor April Grabman said. Willie Eugene Sims, 69, is accused of strangling Jeanette Ralston Feb. 1 1977, in San Jose, according to a press release from the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office and Grabman. He was arrested Tuesday morning. 'His arrest was a result of successful and continuing collaboration between the San Jose Police Department Homicide Unit, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Cold Case Unit, the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office, and the Ashtabula County Prosecutor's Office,' the release states. 'We are extremely thankful and proud to be part of the law enforcement partners that worked together across state lines to seek justice for Ms. Ralston and her family,' Grabman and Ashtabula County Sheriff William Niemi said in a joint statement. The press release states Sims met Ralston in a bar, and alleges he strangled her with a shirt. Ralston, 24 at the time, was found dead in the back seat of her Volkswagen in a carport of a nearby apartment complex, the release states. 'The medical examiner concluded the cause of death was strangulation from a shirt tied around her neck. The autopsy also showed evidence of sexual assault. The killer tried to light her her car on fire, but was unsuccessful,' the release states. No suspects were identified at the time, and the case went cold until a fingerprint found on one of Ralston's cigarette packs was found to match Sims in August 2024, according to the release. Earlier this year, the sheriff's department and prosecutor's office assisted California authorities in getting a DNA sample from Sims, the release states. 'The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Crime Lab found DNA consistent with Sims on Ralston's fingernails and the shirt used to strangle her,' the release states. If convicted, Sims faces 25-years-to-life in prison, the release states.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
DNA match leads to arrest of Ohio man accused of 1977 murder of California woman
A DNA match helped lead to the arrest of an Ohio man accused of murdering a California woman almost 50 years ago. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office and Prosecutor announced the arrest of Willie Sims, 69. He has been charged with the murder of a California woman, Jeanette Ralston, in 1977, according to a sheriff's spokesperson. TRENDING STORIES: Deputies arrested Sims after joining forces with San Jose Police and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office Cold Case Unit. He is alleged to have strangled Ralston to death with a shirt on Feb. 1, 1977, in San Jose, California. She was found dead in the backseat of her Volkswagen at an apartment complex, the spokesperson said. 'We are extremely thankful and proud to be part of the law enforcement partners that worked together across state lines to seek justice for Ms. Ralston and her family,' said Ashtabula County Prosecutor April Grabman and Sheriff Bill Niemi in a joint statement. Almost a decade later, investigators said they linked DNA found on the shirt to Sims. His DNA was also discovered on Ralston's cigarette packs and under fingernails, the spokesperson stated. Sims will be sent back to California to stand trial for Ralston's murder. If convicted, he faces 25 years to life in prison. Photo contributed by Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Students hear the dangers of drunk driving with proms around the corner
HARPERSFIELD TOWNSHIP — About 1,100 high school students from four counties gathered to hear about the importance of safe, sober driving Monday morning at SPIRE Academy. Students from more than a dozen schools from Ashtabula, Lake, Geauga and Trumbull counties attended the event. The concerted effort to discuss the importance of safe driving was put together by the school districts, law enforcement agencies and Ohio Safe Communities. Ohio Safe Communities Coordinator Sandy Pulsifer said she has been hoping to create a one-site event for many years, and believes it can provide a more powerful message with multiple speakers. Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Steven Murphy led off the event, saying it was easier to bring everybody to one place than to conduct mock crashes and host speakers at each high school. The Ashtabula County Board of Commissioners provided money for the event from the county's American Rescue Plan Act funds to make the event a reality for the next four years. 'I think it is good for the kids to have some real-world [stories],' Commissioner J.P. Ducro said. Ashtabula Area City Schools Resource Officer Katie Brockway said 75 students came from the district. She said it is important for the students to hear stories that involve great loss and tragedy because of seemingly one-time bad decisions. She said if even 10 of the students get the message, it might save a life. Representatives of the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Geneva Police Department were a big part of the event, as well as Channel 19 television personality Caitlin McCarthy, who emceed the event. 'We challenge you to take what you learn today and become a safe driving advocate' McCarthy said. One of the speakers provided a heartfelt and painful discussion of how his decision to drink and drive completely changed not only his life, but many others. Brian Rosenburg, a 2010 graduate of Jefferson High School, painted a picture with words of his childhood and high school development with the help of his parents. He said he had all of the positive aspects of growing up with opportunities and took advantage of them, earning a 3.8 grade point average and taking honors classes. He earned a scholarship to the University of Toledo. Rosenburg said he made the promise not to drink and drive in high school, did not party very much in high school or college, and viewed mock crash events at his school. What he did not have was a story that detailed how easily things can go off the rails with one bad decision. 'Nobody told me what happens after the crash,' Rosenburg said. Rosenburg was in his final days as a student at the University of Toledo and had a dream job locked up in the city of Detroit. 'We started that day with one bad decision, and it escalated,' Rosenburg said of his decision to leave work and grab a drink, then get behind the wheel of a car. Rosenburg said he found out later he had driven 60 miles per hour into two vehicles, then all three struck another two in an intersection. When he woke up in a hospital room three days later, following a medically induced come, he found out he had caused the crash and could potentially be charged with vehicular assault and face a one to three year prison sentence. Within a month, that bad news escalated when one of the crash victims died leaving two children behind. The charges moved to vehicular homicide, with a potential five to 13 year prison sentence. Rosenburg said he was sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in the crash in August 2014, and later hit with a $1.3 million wrongful death lawsuit. He told students of the challenges he faced in prison, as he was housed with murderers and rapists. The students heard a variety of speakers and organizers said they thought the multiple speakers has a larger effect on the students.
