Accused killer requests new attorney

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A murder suspect who asked for a new defense attorney had his request denied this week.

Ryan Houser, 38, who address in court records is listed as Celina, made the request earlier this month. Records show it was received by the Van Wert County Clerk of Court’s Office on Monday, January 8.

“Hi this is Ryan Houser,” the handwritten request said. “I would like a deff att (sic) Scott Gordon is not working out for me. Thank you, Ryan Houser. This letter is for the Judge Martin Burchfield.”

Gordon is Houser’s court appointed attorney. His request was rejected but during a pretrial conference held on Wednesday, Judge Burchfield appointed Zach Maisch of Lima as a second attorney for a second opinion only. A final pretrial conference is scheduled for March 27 and a jury trial has been scheduled for April 15-19.

Houser is a suspect in the death of Barbara Ganger. Her body was discovered on September 4, after the Van Wert Police Department was dispatched to do a welfare check at her residence at Van Wert West Apartments on W. Main St. Officers found she had been shot twice, once in the stomach area and once in the head.

Houser was arrested and jailed in Mercer County September 8 on unrelated charges of having a weapon under disability and a probation/parole violation. He was indicted by a Van Wert County grand jury November 2, and pleaded not guilty during an arraignment hearing several days later. Judge Burchfield set bond was at $1 million. A request made in November to modify his bond was denied by Judge Martin Burchfield.

Houser is facing four charges, aggravated murder, an unclassified felony; murder, an unclassified felony; possessing a weapon under disability, a third degree felony, and tampering with evidence, a third degree felony.