Murder suspect seeks to change lawyers

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

A man accused of shooting and killing his girlfriend in Van Wert last September is again asking a judge to let him change his legal counsel.

Ryan 38, who’s address in court records is listed as Celina, first made the request to change lawyers via a handwritten note that was stamped January 8 by the Van Wert County Clerk of Courts Office.

“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 last month, Judge Burchfield appointed Zach Maisch of Lima as a second attorney for a second opinion only. Now, court records show a hearing for a change of counsel is set for 9 a.m. this Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court. A notice was sent to Gordon, Maisch, Van Wert County Prosecutor Eva Yarger and other relevant parties.

Houser is the only suspect in the death of Barbara Ganger, 43. Her body was discovered on September 4, after the Van Wert Police Department was asked to do a welfare check at her residence at Van Wert West Apartments on W. Main St. Responding 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 four days later 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 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.

A final pretrial conference is currently scheduled for March 27 and a jury trial has been scheduled for April 15-19.

In a separate development, Houser asked for a furlough from the Van Wert County Correctional Facility to attend his aunt’s funeral from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. January 31. Court papers show he requested to be released to his mother to be transported to and from the funeral. The request was denied by Judge Burchfield.