Bond set at $1M for accused murderer

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Bond has been set at $1 million cash or surety for a Rockford man facing felony charges tied to an early September shooting death in Van Wert.

Ryan E. Houser, 38, was arraigned Tuesday morning in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court. He entered a not guilty plea to charges of aggravated murder, an unclassified felony; murder, an unclassified felony, tampering with evidence, a third degree felony, and having weapons under disability, a third degree felony.Those charges were handed down last week by a Van Wert County Common Pleas Court grand jury.

The charges against Houser are connected to the shooting death of Barbara Ganger, 43, of Van Wert. Her body was discovered on Monday, September 4, when the Van Wert Police Department was called to do a welfare check at Van Wert West Apartments on W. Main St. Officers made entry to the apartment and found Ganger deceased inside. She had been shot twice, once in the stomach area, and once in the head.

Her death was immediately labeled as suspicious and after doing an autopsy, the Lucas County Coroner’s Office ruled her death a homicide caused by a gunshot wound. Houser and Ganger reportedly had a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.

Houser had been incarcerated at the Mercer County Jail since September 8, on unrelated charges of having a weapon under disability and a probation/parole violation, both third degree felonies. His bond there was $150,000.

If Houser is able to post bond in the local case, Judge Martin Burchfield ordered electronic house arrest. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, November 22.