MARION—Crawford County Now has learned that Christian Gutierrez, 19, of Marion, will face the death penalty for the murder of Charles Feliciano, 27, of Marion.
As reported by Crawford County Now, Gutierrez was arraigned on Monday on five additional charges, including three counts of murder and two counts of felonious assault.
Marion County Assistant Prosecutor Jocelyn Stefancin told Marion County Common Pleas Court Judge W.T. Edwards that the prosecutor’s office believed that evidence from the ongoing police investigation justified the state seeking a death penalty specification.
Gutierrez, who pleaded not guilty to all counts, remains incarcerated at the Multi-County Correctional Facility in Marion.
After the superseding indictment with the death penalty specification was issued by the grand jury, attorney James D. Owen, who was representing Gutierrez, asked the judge to be removed from the case.
Owen told the court he could not devote the time necessary to prepare for a death penalty case.
Judge Edwards granted the motion and subsequently contacted the Office of the Ohio Public Defender requesting new counsel for Gutierrez.
A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 26th. A new trial date will be set in the near future.
Crawford County Now will continue to cover this developing story.