Staff report and press release
news@wbcowqel.com

The Crawford County Grand Jury returned a 21-count indictment against Donald Hoffman on Monday and the county prosecutor indicated he would seek the death penalty.

Hoffman was indicted on charges that include aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, felonious assault, and abuse of a corpse in the deaths of Jerald Smith, Billy Jack Chatman, Darrell Lewis and Freelin Hensley. The bodies of the four men were discovered in their homes Sept. 1 and 2.

Hoffman is being held at the Crawford County Justice Center. Municipal Court Judge Sean Leuthold held a hearing last week and set Hoffman’s bond at $2.5 million in the death of each man for a total of $10 million cash or surety with no 10-percent provision. Leuthold appointed Richland County attorney Rolf Whitney to represent Hoffman.

Autopsies were performed on each man by the Lucas County Coroner’s Office. Crawford County Coroner Dr. Michael Johnson also released information as to the official cause of death for each victim. Johnson said in a press release that Smith and Hensley died of strangulation and blunt force injuries to the head; Lewis died of ligature strangulation and Chatman died of blunt force injuries to the head.

Eight of the 21 counts are for aggravated murder. County Prosecutor Matt Crall said he has discussed the case with the victims’ families in reaching the decision to pursue the death penalty.

Crawford County Prosecutor Matt Crall’s press release regarding the indictments is shown below in its entirety.

Donald Hoffman has been indicted on 21 counts by the Crawford County Grand Jury. The indictments were returned Monday in relation to the deaths of four individuals in Bucyrus as reported by the Bucyrus Police Department. The following indictments have been levied against Hoffman:

• Count I – Aggravated Murder – unclassified felony (Jerald L. Smith)
• Count II – Aggravated Murder – unclassified felony (Jerald L. Smith)
• Count III – Aggravated Robbery – Felony 1 (Jerald L. Smith)
• Count IV – Kidnapping – Felony 1 (Jerald L. Smith)
• Count V – Felonious Assault – Felony 2 (Jerald L. Smith)
• Count VI – Abuse of a Corpse – Felony 5 (Jerald L. Smith)
• Count VII – Aggravated Murder – unclassified felony (Billy Jack Chatman)
• County VIII – Aggravated Murder – unclassified felony (Billy Jack Chatman)
• County IX – Aggravated Robbery – Felony 1 (Billy Jack Chatman)
• Count X – Kidnapping – Felony 1 (Billy Jack Chatman)
• Count XI – Felonious Assault – Felony 2 (Billy Jack Chatman)
• Count XII – Aggravated Murder – unclassified felony (Darrell E. Lewis)
• Count XIII – Aggravated Murder – unclassified felony (Darrell E. Lewis)
• Count XIV – Aggravated Robbery – Felony 1 (Darrell E. Lewis)
• Count XV – Kidnapping – Felony 1 (Darrell E. Lewis)
• Count XVI – Felonious Assault – Felony 2 (Darrell E. Lewis)
• Count XVII – Aggravated Murder – unclassified felony (Freelin Hensley)
• Count XVIII – Aggravated Murder – unclassified felony (Freelin Hensley)
• Count XIX – Aggravated Robbery – Felony 1 (Freelin Hensley)
• Count XX – Kidnapping – Felony 1 (Freelin Hensley)
• Count XXI – Felonious Assault – Felony 2 (Freelin Hensley)

According to a press release for Crawford County Prosecutor Matt Crall, all eight aggravated murder counts contain death penalty specifications for:

• Offense was part of a course of conduct involving the purposeful killing of two or more persons; and
• Offense was committed, attempted to commit or fleeing immediately after committing or attempting to commit aggravated robbery and was the principal offender in the commission of the aggravated murder.

“The nature and the seriousness of the charges leaves little other choice than to seek the death penalty,” said Crall. “In coming to this decision, I have considered the allegations, the law, and wishes of the victims’ families. I have met with each family and request that everyone respect their privacy as our community’s tragedy is very personal to their lives.”

The Bucyrus Police Department has received assistance from the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Ohio State Patrol, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), the Crawford County Prosecutor’s Office, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, and the Crawford County Coroner’s Office.