BALDRIDGE

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By FRANK LEWIS

PDT Staff Writer

The second of two defendants charged with the murder of pizza deliveryman Garrett Maloney, 19, of South Webster a year ago, changed his plea Wednesday. Brian Baldridge, 23, of 2209 Robinson Ave., Portsmouth, entered a guilty plea to one count of aggravated murder with prior calculation and design; and one count of tampering with evidence. The tampering with evidence charge was the result of the moving of Maloney’s body and placing it in a manhole. The body was discovered May 1, 2011.

Balridge was scheduled to go to trial March 19.

Baldridge’s accomplice, Joshua R. Kessinger, 24, of the same address, recently changed his plea to guilty and was set to testify against Baldridge at his trial.

Baldridge was immediately sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for 15 years. Baldridge’s sentence was identical to the one handed out to Kessinger earlier.

Maloney’s body was discovered May 1 in a manhole in an alley off the 2100 block of Vinton Avenue in Portsmouth. At that time Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner said he believed Maloney was shot multiple times at the Robinson Avenue address and his body moved. Horner said discovery of the body was the result of Kessinger turning himself in and telling authorities where the body was.

Scioto County Prosecutor Mark Kuhn said Kessinger had told him that he was asleep when Baldridge fired the first shot striking Maloney. Kessinger said he then woke up and Baldridge told him to shoot Maloney too, which he did.

Frank Lewis may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 232, or at flewis@heartlandpublications.com.