BUCYRUS — Defense attorney Adam Stone filed a dismissal motion Monday morning to the Crawford County Common Pleas Court. The case for which he was seeking a dismissal? Murder and kidnapping charges on Frederick Lee Saunders Jr. and his wife, Marla Saunders.
The Saunders were indicted in October 2015 for the kidnapping and murder of Frederick Saunders Sr. Their trials, to be heard separately, are July 11-15 for Frederick Saunders Jr. and July 25-29 for Marla Saunders.
Saunders Jr. was charged with aggravated murder, kidnapping and tampering with evidence. Marla Saunders, his wife, was charged with complicity to commit aggravated murder, kidnapping, tampering with evidence and obstructing justice.
Carla Willoughby, Marla Saunders’ sister, was charged with the same charges as Marla Saunders. She pled guilty to tampering with evidence and obstructing justice in October 2015.
Willoughby faces a sentencing at the Crawford County Common Pleas court on Wednesday, March 16.
The indictments stemmed from the death of Frederick Saunders on Sept. 29, 2015.
In his press release, Stone argues the motion for a dismissal of charges as necessary because of the prosecutor’s “authorization for the destruction of the alleged victim’s body prior to examination by a defense expert.”
The action, Stone wrote, violates due process and the Saunders’ right to a fair trial.
“At the time of the alleged victim’s death, Galion Community Hospital ruled the death a massive heart attack. Several days later, the Lucas County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a homicide. Despite the differing medical opinions and without affording the defense the opportunity to independently examine the body, the prosecution released Mr. Saunders’ remains for cremation, destroying the evidence for all time,” read Stone’s press release.
Crawford County Prosecutor Matt Crall referenced Ohio Rule of Professional Conduct prohibits him from making comment on Stone’s allegations of destroying evidence in the Saunders’ murder and kidnapping case.
“I do, however, look forward to vigorously defending the credibility of the Galion Police Department and the County Prosecutor’s Office, both of which have conducted themselves with the honor and integrity that our community expects,” wrote Crall in a press release issued Tuesday morning.
