Friday, May 2nd, 2014

Celina man arrested in 1981 murder

Detectives seek third suspect in area slaying

By Shelley Grieshop
ST. MARYS - A 51-year-old Celina man is the second person to be arrested in less than five months for the stabbing death of a local farmer 33 years ago.
Tracy W. Mabry, 8673 U.S. 33, was indicted by an Auglaize County grand jury and charged with one count of aggravated murder, an unspecified felony, for the death of Marcellus Reineke, 71, in St. Marys, in October 1981.
Mabry appeared in court Thursday afternoon and was placed on a $1 million cash surety bond. He was booked into the county jail, where he remains.
The indictment does not include a death-penalty specification. Authorities would not reveal the maximum sentence Mabry faces.
Auglaize County Prosecutor Ed Pierce and St. Marys Police Chief Mark Ernst on Thursday issued a brief joint press release about the case, noting they would not field any additional questions at this time.
Pierce and Ernst said the investigation is continuing as authorities seek "another person of interest." Anyone with information about Reineke's murder is encouraged to call the St. Marys Police Department at 419-394-2325.
Former St. Marys resident Paul Leroy Hoover, 52, of Florida, will be sentenced May 28 for involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, for his part in Reineke's death. Hoover last month agreed to plead guilty to the charge in a plea agreement that dismissed the indictment's charge of aggravated murder.
The initial charge carried a penalty of life in prison. Hoover faces up to 25 years in prison. He remains incarcerated in the county jail. Pierce, for an earlier story, said visiting Judge Reginald Joseph Routson of Hancock County could impose four to 25 years in prison based on the law in effect when the murder took place. The same crime today would carry a maximum of 11 years in prison, he said.
Hoover was arrested Dec. 13 in Eustis, Fla., and waived extradition to Ohio.
Court records state Hoover repeatedly stabbed Reineke in the heart and chest while seeking the location of money and valuables in the elderly man's home at 229 S. West St., St. Marys. After killing Reineke, Hoover and other unknown accomplices attempted to set a bed on fire to hide evidence, authorities said.
Old coins and other valuables reportedly were missing when Reineke's body was found two days later by a concerned relative.
Reineke was a local farmer who retired in 1972 and moved into the city. He reportedly was living alone at the time he was killed.
Additional online stories on this date
Brian Patch will maintain his presence on the basketball court at Fort Recovery's Fort Site Fieldhouse, only for a different Indians basketball team.
Patch will take over as head girls basketball coach at Fort Recovery, pending the approval of the board of education at its next meeting. [More]
ROCKFORD - Kent Retz threw a complete game two-hitter to lead Fort Recovery to a 4-0 win over Parkway in Midwest Athletic Conference baseball action Thursday afternoon at Don Black Field. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Primary 2014
CELINA - Voters statewide on Tuesday will be asked to support State Issue I - a constitutional amendment that would provide $1.875 billion in funds for community infrastructure projects during the next 10 years.
CELINA - More than $7,000 in private donations will be distributed by mid-June to eligible residents who must vacate their homes at Mercelina Mobile Court.
MENDON - The long-running Mendon Firecracker Festival has been cancelled this year due to a lack of volunteer support.
The Mendon Lions Club has be
CELINA - Farmers who have lost pigs to Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea should report deaths to the Farm Service Agency in case federal funds become available to help pay for losses.
CELINA - Mercer County Commissioners on Thursday chose a contractor to complete erosion control work along Beaver Creek for 23 percent less than estimated costs.
New Bremen museum to get replica plaque from Florida university
NEW BREMEN - Village native Edward Conradi, who made his mark in the field of education, has come home in spirit thanks to a donation from Florida State University.
A 22-year-old Coldwater woman faces community control sanctions in two Mercer County Common Pleas Court cases following her Wednesday sentencing.
Ashley S. Huber, 619 Ray Drive, asked the judge for probation and assignment to drug court to help her overcome her heroin addiction.
ST. MARYS - The temperature was chilly outside, but the Celina bats were scorching hot Thursday against Western Buckeye League rival St. Marys.
Th
MINSTER - Being in in the midst of a frustrating slump, Minster's Sara Hosey needed a boost of confidence.
By the time she gunned down the Flyers'
MARIA STEIN - Academics factored heavily into Gina Kramer's college decision.
The college she chose will be getting a good volleyball player in return.
Thursday's Local Roundup
Compiled by Colin Foster and Gary R. Rasberry

  Garrett Stout's single that scored Briar Holloman in the bottom of the fourth held up for the game