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Jury Finds William Inman Guilty Of Aggravated Murder
By: Associated Press, Atish Baidya, WOUB Contributing Writer
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UPDATE 2/5/13 7:30 a.m. The parents of the woman whose body was dumped in a septic tank after being killed by her estranged husband and in-laws says life will go on for the sake of her three children.
"This is just a phase of our life that we'll step through and continue on and take care of her kids," said a tearful Mike Cook, Summer Inman’s father.
A jury found Summer’s father-in-law, William Inman, 48, guilty of murder and other crimes after just three hours of deliberation Monday.
The trial was moved to Chillicothe after a jury could not be seated in Hocking County.
William was charged with two counts of aggravated murder, one count each of murder, kidnapping, tampering with evidence, and gross abuse of a corpse.
Authorities said Summer Inman was killed in March 2011 because she had filed for divorce and was seeking custody of the three young children she had with William Inman II.
Sandra Inman and Inman II were also convicted in Summer Inman’s death.
Inman will be sentenced in a separate hearing on Wednesday morning, where jurors will listen to evidence and make a recommendation about whether or not Inman should receive the death penalty.
Summer’s parents said no matter the outcome of the sentencing hearing justice has been served.
"We don't care if he gets life in prison or the death penalty. It doesn't matter. He's going to get what he deserves," Debbie Cook said.
UPDATE 7:15 PM A Southeast Ohio man accused of strangling his daughter-in-law with a zip tie and dumping her body in a septic tank has been found guilty of all charges.
The Logan Daily News reports a jury unanimously found William Inman, 48, guilty of murder and other crimes after just three hours of deliberation on Monday.
William was charged with two counts of aggravated murder, one count each of murder, kidnapping, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse.
Inman will be sentenced in a separate hearing on Wednesday morning, where jurors will listen to evidence and make a recommendation about whether or not Inman should receive the death penalty.
Authorities say 25-year-old Summer Inman was killed in March 2011 because she had filed for divorce and was seeking custody of the three children she had with William Inman II.
Sandra Inman and William Inman II were also convicted in Summer Inman's death.
UPDATE: 6:10 PM The Logan Daily News is reporting that after just three hours of deliberations on Monday, jurors in the murder case of William Inman have reached a verdict.
Deliberations began at 2:30 p.m. Monday and ended at 5:20 p.m.
Inman, 48, is charged muder and other crimes in the March 2011 slaying of his daughter-in-law, Summer Inman, 25, who was strangled with a zip tie and dumped into a septic tank.
Closing arguments wrapped up Monday at the Ross County Common Pleas Court in Chillicothe.
A jury will begin deliberating in the Ohio trial of a man charged with murder and other crimes in the slaying of his daughter-in-law, who was strangled with a zip tie and dumped in a septic tank.
Closing arguments wrapped up Monday in Chillicothe in 48-year-old William Inman's trial in the March 2011 murder of 25-year-old Summer Inman.
A court official said the case would go to the jury Monday afternoon.
Prosecutors said Inman was complicit in the plot to murder Summer Inman for custody of her three children by Inman's son.
Inman's attorney argued the elder Inman didn't kill her.
He says Inman and his wife helped kidnap her in Logan and tried to cover up for their son. Inman's son and wife were convicted in the murder.