Murder suspect to claim self-defense

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Court papers show a local man facing several serious felony charges in connection with the September death of a S. Vine St. man is planning to claim self-defense at his trial.

A notice of intent to use self-defense at trial was filed earlier this month on behalf of Larry Andrus Jr., 48, of Van Wert. The notice was filed by defense attorney Barry Schroeder of Ottawa.

Andrus is charged with murder, an unclassified felony; voluntary manslaughter, a first degree felony; two counts of involuntary manslaughter, both first degree felonies; strangulation, a second degree felony, and felonious assault, a second degree felony.

The charges are tied to the September 30 death of Roy D. Watts, 59, at his home in the 300 block of S. Vine St. A police report indicates Andrus and Watts were involved in a verbal argument, followed by some sort of physical altercation. According to the police report, Andrus was interviewed by Van Wert Police shortly after the incident, along with at least one other witness to the altercation.

Andrus was indicted by a grand jury in early November but fled the area before the indictment could be served. He was arrested several days later by U.S. Marshals in Bay County, Florida. According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, Andrus, a tattoo artist, was traveling on a Greyhound bus from Pennsylvania and was supposed to arrive at a Bay County tattoo shop for an interview. Members of the Florida Caribbean Regional Task Force, Panama City Division, stopped the bus and arrested him without incident.

He was booked into the Bay County Jail and waived extradition back to Ohio. He was transported back and arrived at the Van Wert County Correctional Facility in late November. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and bond was set at $500,000 cash or commercial surety. He remains in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility.

A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for February 28 in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court, but court records show no trial date as of yet.