Walter Jerome Young, 50, of 705 Carpenter St., Columbus, formerly of Portsmouth, is charged with aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary, in the death of Louella Ridley, 95, of 1111 James F. Scott Drive, Portsmouth.
Assistant prosecutors Pat Apel and Danielle Parker are representing the state, while Young is represented by Charles Knight and William Eaches. Young waived his right to a jury trial, leaving his case in the hands of Harcha.
According to case information, on Oct. 14, 2005, Ridley had just come home from a visit to the doctor's office when a family friend came to her house, found the door locked, and looked through the door and saw Ridley lying on the floor.
The friend called authorities, and Ridley was taken to the hospital, where she was declared dead.
“I remember Portsmouth police detective Chuck Crapyou was the lead investigator on that murder, and Ridley was found with the tie strings from her blouse around her neck,” said Scioto County Prosecutor Mark Kuhn. “The house had been gone through, ransacked. There were a lot of things out of place.”
Kuhn said the prosecutor's plan is to call a medical witness to the stand today.
“We will probably call Montgomery County Deputy Coroner, Dr. Russell Uptegrove to the stand,” he said. “We will more than likely take this trial into Friday, and the defense will present their case.”
FRANK LEWIS can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232.
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