Local man charged with murder goes on trial this week « The VW Independent

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Today's trial hearing for accused murderer Ryan Houser won't be the only high-profile hearing in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court this week (see Houser story here).

A preliminary hearing for Larry Andrus Jr. is scheduled for Wednesday, October 2nd at 10 a.m. Andrus is charged with six total crimes: murder, an unclassified felony; intentional homicide, a first-degree felony; two counts of involuntary manslaughter, both first-degree felonies; Strangulation, a second-degree felony, and aggravated assault, also a second-degree felony.

The trial of Andrus, 48, of Van Wert, was scheduled to take place Aug. 12-14, but the trial was delayed just days before it was scheduled to begin due to several late motions from defense attorney Barry Schroeder. One of the motions seeks to exclude a report and statement from Van Wert County Deputy Coroner Chris Ulrich regarding Watts' contributing cause of death.

Several other applications are also expected to be considered at the hearing. However, it is unknown whether Judge Martin Burchfield will set new trial dates during Wednesday's conference.

There was a motion approved by Judge Burchfield last week. This allows the defense to retain the services of LJ Dragovic, MD, as a medical expert in the case, with the court covering costs, including a deposition fee of $1,800 and an hourly rate of $600. The deposition rate is $250 per hour.

In a previous filing, Andrus said he intends to claim self-defense during his trial.

The charges against Andrus are related to the September 2023 death of Roy D. Watts, 59, at a home on S. Vine St. According to a police report, Andrus and Watts were involved in a verbal argument that was followed by a physical altercation . Andrus was interviewed by Van Wert police shortly after the incident, along with at least one other witness to the altercation. He was indicted by a grand jury on November 2, 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 scheduled to arrive at a tattoo shop in Bay County for an interview. Members of the Panama City Division's Florida Caribbean Regional Task Force stopped the bus and arrested him without incident.

He was booked into the Bay County Jail and waived extradition to Ohio. He was transported back to Van Wert County in late November.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and bail was set at $500,000 cash or commercial surety. He remains in the Van Wert County Correctional Facility.