FREMONT — After more than three years and a botched initial investigation, answers about Heather Bogle’s murder may soon arrive.
The trial of Daniel Myers, 49, of Green Creek Township, the man charged in Ms. Bogle’s death, is scheduled to begin Oct. 22. There’s still opportunity for a plea agreement before then, but prosecutors and defense attorneys are moving forward as if the case will go to trial.
On Wednesday, both sides spent hours in Sandusky County Court of Common Pleas with Judge John Dewey, excusing dozens of potential jurors who had filled out a short-form questionnaire. The court is scheduled to conduct full jury questioning on Oct. 17, and then begin opening statements on Oct. 22.
Ms. Bogle, 28, was found dead April 10, 2015, in her car's trunk at a Clyde, Ohio, apartment complex one day after she vanished after leaving work.
The investigation into her death became controversial after no suspects were arrested, despite then-lead investigator Sean O’Connell identifying persons of interest. The case — and the lack of progress — then became entangled with questions regarding former Sandusky County Sheriff Kyle Overmyer’s conduct.
Overmyer, who led the sheriff’s office at the time, pleaded guilty to felony charges of theft in office and deception to obtain dangerous drugs, among other crimes, and was sentenced in December to four years in prison. He had sought re-election despite the charges. Sheriff Chris Hilton, who won the election, partially campaigned on a renewed investigation into Ms. Bogle’s death.
Those efforts started essentially from scratch, and followed up on leads that critics of the initial investigation said had been ignored. Those leads led law enforcement to charge Mr. Myers.
Meanwhile, O’Connell was charged with crimes related to his conduct during the investigation. He pleaded guilty in July to a tampering with evidence charge, which was related to a report O'Connell — who was a Sandusky County sheriff's detective — sent to then-Sandusky County Prosecutor Thomas Stierwalt in an attempt to charge three people in Ms. Bogle's death.
Other law enforcement officials determined the three had nothing to do with Ms. Bogle's murder, and O'Connell's report did not include a string of facts that cast doubt on evidence he claimed pointed to their culpability.
O’Connell was sentenced in September to two years in prison.
Sandusky County Prosecutor Tim Braun said Wednesday in court that defense attorneys appeared to have chosen not to use expert witnesses provided by the court. Judge Dewey and Mr. Myers’ attorneys met in the judge’s chambers to discuss their decision.
First Published October 3, 2018, 9:50 p.m.
