BUCYRUS—The murder trial of Jacqueline “Jackie” Montgomery, 44, of Crestline, began Tuesday in Crawford County Common Pleas Court. The proceedings are presided over by Judge Sean Leuthold.

Assistant prosecutor Dan Stanley addressed the jury of nine women and three men during opening statements. He explained why Montgomery faces the same crimes as her husband, co-defendant Timothy, and co-defendant Cameron Davis. Davis has taken a plea deal in exchange for his testimony.

Stanley told the jury that Montgomery aided and abetted in the murder and instigated her husband and her friend to beat Benedict to death because he (Benedict) hit her in the face at the Just Jokin’ Bar on October 10, 2021.

Stanley told the jury no signs of trauma to Montgomery’s face were visible.

Enraged because Benedict didn’t get arrested for the alleged assault, the trio, encouraged by Jackie, set out to take matters into their own hands.

Stanley played a 911 call placed by a Crestline man just minutes after police told them to walk home from the bar and let them handle it.

Crestline resident Chris Kegley told dispatchers that two men and a woman had assaulted the victim, now known to be Michael “Mikey” Benedict.

Kegley stayed on the line with dispatchers describing how vicious the beating was. Kelley told dispatchers that “a man was beaten half to death.” He went on to explain the beating was continuing. “They’re going to kill him. She’s kicking him too,” Kegley said.

Stanley told the jury: “He never regained consciousness and died 24 days after the attack. Based on the way he was beaten, you can’t tell which blow killed him.”

The State contends that Cameron Davis hit Benedict first, knocking him out, then Timothy Montgomery pounded Benedict with hands and elbows. “Jackie Montgomery kicks this man as he lay there,” Stanley said.

Stanley told jurors that Jackie was unmoved when she was told Benedict was not in stable condition. In the twenty minutes or so between the time of the assault and her arrest,

Montgomery changed her clothes. That oversight by Crestline Police resulted in her clothes being untested for Benedict’s blood.

“She instigated her husband and her friend to kill Mikey Benedict,” Stanley said.

He asked the jury to hold her responsible by finding her guilty of murder.

Defense attorneys James Mayer and Sean Boone have postponed their opening statements until they present their case to the jury.

Crawford County Now will continue to cover this breaking news story.