Andrus murder trial has been delayed

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

The upcoming trial of a Van Wert man charged with murder has been put on hold.

Larry Andrus Jr., 48, was scheduled to stand trial August 12-14 in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court on charges of murder, voluntary manslaughter, two counts of involuntary manslaughter and strangulation. However, the trial has been postponed in the wake of a handful of motions filed on Thursday.

According to papers filed with the Van Wert County Clerk of Courts Office, defense attorney Barry Schroeder is seeking to exclude a report and testimony by Van Wert County Deputy Coroner Chris Ulrich regarding the contributing cause of death of the alleged victim, Roy D. Watts, 59, of Van Wert. In a motion of limine, Schroeder said a copy of the report has not been disclosed to the defense.

“To permit testimony in this regard would carry a substantial mischarge of justice,” Schroeder wrote in his motion.

If the motion is denied by the court, Schroeder requested a continuance to secure defense expert testimony regarding any reference to Ulrich’s opinion that Watts died of asphyxiation. 

A motion filed by Van Wert County Prosecutor Eva Yarger asks Van Wert County Common Pleas Court Judge Martin Burchfield to admit as evidence prior statements and subsequent statements made by Glendora Andrus, the late mother of Andrus, for impeachment purposes.

A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, August 28. It’s not known if new trial dates will be established then.

The charges against Andrus are connected to the September 30, 2023, death of Watts at his home on S. Vine St. The two were allegedly involved in a verbal argument, followed by a physical altercation. Andrus was indicted by a grand jury on November 2, but fled the area. He was arrested November 8 by U.S. Marshals in Bay County, Florida, and has remained in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility since his return to Ohio. His bond is set at $500,000.

In a previous motion, Schroeder filed notice that Andrus intends to claim self-defense at the trial.