Shawn Jones found guilty of murdering grandmother

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

With the evidence weighted heavily in favor of the prosecution, it likely didn’t even surprise the defendant that the verdict would be “guilty” when Shawn Jones’ murder trial ended Wednesday afternoon.

Van Wert County Common Pleas Judge Charles D. Steele pronounced the verdict on Jones, 36, of Van Wert, in the strangulation death of his 83-year-old grandmother, Edna LaRue. The murder occurred just over a year ago on October 1, 2010, at her home on Sunrise Court in Van Wert.

Jones was found guilty of an unspecified felony of murder and ordered to spend an indefinite term of 15 years to life in prison by Judge Steele.  Jones was given credit for 385 days that he served in jail awaiting final disposition of the case.

Wednesday’s verdict was preceded by testimony from the prosecution’s final three witnesses: James Irwin, a former cellmate of Jones who testified that he heard Jones admit to killing his grandmother; Robert Albright, the friend who Jones drove around for hours in Mrs. LaRue’s van while the elderly woman lay dead in her home; and VWPD Officer Mike Freeman.

In three days of testimony, Judge Steele heard prosecution evidence concerning DNA and blood splatters that was provided by forensic scientists and crime scene investigators from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, as well as details of an extensive investigation conducted by Van Wert Police Department officers and detectives.

Additionally, a videotape was viewed in which Jones confessed to killing LaRue. In the confession, Jones told how he became enraged while he and his grandmother were involved in an argument. Jones allegedly struck the woman, dragged her around a room and finally strangled her to death with an electrical cord from a plastic alarm clock.

The trial was then recessed for lunch, with the defense to present its case when the trial reconvened.

Having delayed the trial for months by requesting DNA testing and two competency hearings, defense attorney Scott Gordon had little left for the trial, calling just one witness: Jones’ mother, Joette.

Moreover, it was questionable how much good she did her son, as she talked about his lack of mental function, mostly related to an automobile accident, but then stated she had no problem leaving her elderly mother in his care.

Jones and his attorney will now have to decide whether to appeal the verdict.