#daltonray

A trial date was set today by Common Pleas Court Judge Chris Berhalter for the defendant charged with the aggravated murders of Thomas and Angela Strussion.The capital murder trial for Oklahoma native Andrew Griffin will begin on March 2, 2025.Griffin was arrested in February and charged in March with 12 counts of aggravated murder, a count of aggravated burglary, and a count of aggravated arson. The 33-year-old was extradited from Hilo, Hawaii, on March 14, and he’s been jailed in the county jail ever since.Griffin could face the death penalty if convicted.On July 1, Berhalter rescheduled a deposition of a state witness and the pretrial hearing and, according to a report in the Martins Ferry Times Leader, the Judge asked Griffin’s attorney to review three potential questionnaires that could be used during jury selection and him to have file a notice prior before today that states the name of those who will be trying the case on behalf of the Shamansky law firm.Any motions filed by the defense and by Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan will be considered during the hearing, and Flanagan expects Judge Berhalter will suggest a start date for the highly anticipated capital murder trial against Griffin. The husband and wife were found deceased inside their Trail End Road home after a fire had been reported by a neighbor on Sept. 21, 2021, and Griffin is the alleged killer.Chief Det. Ryan Allar and Det.-Sergeant Jordan Blumling investigated the double homicide for more than three years before arresting Griffin inside a Home Depot in Hilo. The defendant was with his younger brother, Zach, at the time local law enforcement served and arrested him, and he was incarcerated in the city’s jail until his extradition was granted in mid-March.Jail Administrator Chris Baker, Detective Sgt. Jason Schwarck, and Deputy Tristan Thomas were dispatched to the Hawaiian city to escort Griffin back to Belmont County in mid-March.One person connected to the Strussion murders already has been tried and convicted, and Oklahoma native Dalton Ray was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for lying to Belmont County detectives while they were investigating the murders. Detectives explained the Ray’s trial how they traveled from Ohio to Oklahoma to interview him in July 2024 regarding any information that he may have involving the deaths of the Strussions.Ray, a 33-year-old native of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, lied, and following the first interview, Allar and Blumling determined he gave them untruthful information. Detectives again traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray for a second time, and the evidence during trial proved his dishonesty continued.The pretrial hearing will take place inside the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairsville.Griffin and the Strussions were business partners in the Salsa Joe's Smokehouse location in Elm Grove, and Griffin moved to the area in the Fall of 2020.https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-1-blumling-graduates-to-strussion-double-murder/https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-2-thats-the-best-way-to-get-to-justice/embed/#?secret=vzWiUHgQ2n#?secret=PBWEAPaUTdhttps://ledenews.com/oklahoma-man-sentenced-in-belmont-county-for-obstrucion-of-justice-in-strussion-double-homicide-case/embed/#?secret=4gBy3KjmTk#?secret=OZxl2GI6DDhttps://ledenews.com/sheriff-zusack-there-will-be-more-surprises-in-strussion-case/embed/#?secret=uQz5NWD2uQ#?secret=TuzAxShv24https://ledenews.com/the-dollars-and-the-sense-behind-the-strussion-murder-investigation/embed/#?secret=Y2td0HKNXK#?secret=w5E4IAMomphttps://ledenews.com/belmont-county-detective-the-truth-is-out-there/embed/#?secret=Pdedj00F1S#?secret=SK1VYEmoTghttps://ledenews.com/surprise-strussion-murder-suspect-arrested-at-home-depot-in-hawaii/embed/#?secret=fQ54tNh0BQ#?secret=eIjd22tJ5Qhttps://ledenews.com/suspect-arrested-in-strussion-double-homicide/embed/#?secret=rAM5RT4Ytn#?secret=2seyqQBy97 Read the full article

A trial date was set today by Common Pleas Court Judge Chris Berhalter for the defendant charged with the aggravated murders of Thomas and Angela Strussion.The capital murder trial for Oklahoma native Andrew Griffin will begin on March 2, 2025.Griffin was arrested in February and charged in March with 12 counts of aggravated murder, a count of aggravated burglary, and a count of aggravated arson. The 33-year-old was extradited from Hilo, Hawaii, on March 14, and he’s been jailed in the county jail ever since.Griffin could face the death penalty if convicted.On July 1, Berhalter rescheduled a deposition of a state witness and the pretrial hearing and, according to a report in the Martins Ferry Times Leader, the Judge asked Griffin’s attorney to review three potential questionnaires that could be used during jury selection and him to have file a notice prior before today that states the name of those who will be trying the case on behalf of the Shamansky law firm.Any motions filed by the defense and by Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan will be considered during the hearing, and Flanagan expects Judge Berhalter will suggest a start date for the highly anticipated capital murder trial against Griffin. The husband and wife were found deceased inside their Trail End Road home after a fire had been reported by a neighbor on Sept. 21, 2021, and Griffin is the alleged killer.Chief Det. Ryan Allar and Det.-Sergeant Jordan Blumling investigated the double homicide for more than three years before arresting Griffin inside a Home Depot in Hilo. The defendant was with his younger brother, Zach, at the time local law enforcement served and arrested him, and he was incarcerated in the city’s jail until his extradition was granted in mid-March.Jail Administrator Chris Baker, Detective Sgt. Jason Schwarck, and Deputy Tristan Thomas were dispatched to the Hawaiian city to escort Griffin back to Belmont County in mid-March.One person connected to the Strussion murders already has been tried and convicted, and Oklahoma native Dalton Ray was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for lying to Belmont County detectives while they were investigating the murders. Detectives explained the Ray’s trial how they traveled from Ohio to Oklahoma to interview him in July 2024 regarding any information that he may have involving the deaths of the Strussions.Ray, a 33-year-old native of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, lied, and following the first interview, Allar and Blumling determined he gave them untruthful information. Detectives again traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray for a second time, and the evidence during trial proved his dishonesty continued.The pretrial hearing will take place inside the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairsville.Griffin and the Strussions were business partners in the Salsa Joe's Smokehouse location in Elm Grove, and Griffin moved to the area in the Fall of 2020.https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-1-blumling-graduates-to-strussion-double-murder/https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-2-thats-the-best-way-to-get-to-justice/embed/#?secret=vzWiUHgQ2n#?secret=PBWEAPaUTdhttps://ledenews.com/oklahoma-man-sentenced-in-belmont-county-for-obstrucion-of-justice-in-strussion-double-homicide-case/embed/#?secret=4gBy3KjmTk#?secret=OZxl2GI6DDhttps://ledenews.com/sheriff-zusack-there-will-be-more-surprises-in-strussion-case/embed/#?secret=uQz5NWD2uQ#?secret=TuzAxShv24https://ledenews.com/the-dollars-and-the-sense-behind-the-strussion-murder-investigation/embed/#?secret=Y2td0HKNXK#?secret=w5E4IAMomphttps://ledenews.com/belmont-county-detective-the-truth-is-out-there/embed/#?secret=Pdedj00F1S#?secret=SK1VYEmoTghttps://ledenews.com/surprise-strussion-murder-suspect-arrested-at-home-depot-in-hawaii/embed/#?secret=fQ54tNh0BQ#?secret=eIjd22tJ5Qhttps://ledenews.com/suspect-arrested-in-strussion-double-homicide/embed/#?secret=rAM5RT4Ytn#?secret=2seyqQBy97 Read the full article

A trial date was set today by Common Pleas Court Judge Chris Berhalter for the defendant charged with the aggravated murders of Thomas and Angela Strussion.The capital murder trial for Oklahoma native Andrew Griffin will begin on March 2, 2025.Griffin was arrested in February and charged in March with 12 counts of aggravated murder, a count of aggravated burglary, and a count of aggravated arson. The 33-year-old was extradited from Hilo, Hawaii, on March 14, and he’s been jailed in the county jail ever since.Griffin could face the death penalty if convicted.On July 1, Berhalter rescheduled a deposition of a state witness and the pretrial hearing and, according to a report in the Martins Ferry Times Leader, the Judge asked Griffin’s attorney to review three potential questionnaires that could be used during jury selection and him to have file a notice prior before today that states the name of those who will be trying the case on behalf of the Shamansky law firm.Any motions filed by the defense and by Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan will be considered during the hearing, and Flanagan expects Judge Berhalter will suggest a start date for the highly anticipated capital murder trial against Griffin. The husband and wife were found deceased inside their Trail End Road home after a fire had been reported by a neighbor on Sept. 21, 2021, and Griffin is the alleged killer.Chief Det. Ryan Allar and Det.-Sergeant Jordan Blumling investigated the double homicide for more than three years before arresting Griffin inside a Home Depot in Hilo. The defendant was with his younger brother, Zach, at the time local law enforcement served and arrested him, and he was incarcerated in the city’s jail until his extradition was granted in mid-March.Jail Administrator Chris Baker, Detective Sgt. Jason Schwarck, and Deputy Tristan Thomas were dispatched to the Hawaiian city to escort Griffin back to Belmont County in mid-March.One person connected to the Strussion murders already has been tried and convicted, and Oklahoma native Dalton Ray was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for lying to Belmont County detectives while they were investigating the murders. Detectives explained the Ray’s trial how they traveled from Ohio to Oklahoma to interview him in July 2024 regarding any information that he may have involving the deaths of the Strussions.Ray, a 33-year-old native of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, lied, and following the first interview, Allar and Blumling determined he gave them untruthful information. Detectives again traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray for a second time, and the evidence during trial proved his dishonesty continued.The pretrial hearing will take place inside the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairsville.Griffin and the Strussions were business partners in the Salsa Joe's Smokehouse location in Elm Grove, and Griffin moved to the area in the Fall of 2020.https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-1-blumling-graduates-to-strussion-double-murder/https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-2-thats-the-best-way-to-get-to-justice/embed/#?secret=vzWiUHgQ2n#?secret=PBWEAPaUTdhttps://ledenews.com/oklahoma-man-sentenced-in-belmont-county-for-obstrucion-of-justice-in-strussion-double-homicide-case/embed/#?secret=4gBy3KjmTk#?secret=OZxl2GI6DDhttps://ledenews.com/sheriff-zusack-there-will-be-more-surprises-in-strussion-case/embed/#?secret=uQz5NWD2uQ#?secret=TuzAxShv24https://ledenews.com/the-dollars-and-the-sense-behind-the-strussion-murder-investigation/embed/#?secret=Y2td0HKNXK#?secret=w5E4IAMomphttps://ledenews.com/belmont-county-detective-the-truth-is-out-there/embed/#?secret=Pdedj00F1S#?secret=SK1VYEmoTghttps://ledenews.com/surprise-strussion-murder-suspect-arrested-at-home-depot-in-hawaii/embed/#?secret=fQ54tNh0BQ#?secret=eIjd22tJ5Qhttps://ledenews.com/suspect-arrested-in-strussion-double-homicide/embed/#?secret=rAM5RT4Ytn#?secret=2seyqQBy97 Read the full article

A trial date was set today by Common Pleas Court Judge Chris Berhalter for the defendant charged with the aggravated murders of Thomas and Angela Strussion.The capital murder trial for Oklahoma native Andrew Griffin will begin on March 2, 2025.Griffin was arrested in February and charged in March with 12 counts of aggravated murder, a count of aggravated burglary, and a count of aggravated arson. The 33-year-old was extradited from Hilo, Hawaii, on March 14, and he’s been jailed in the county jail ever since.Griffin could face the death penalty if convicted.On July 1, Berhalter rescheduled a deposition of a state witness and the pretrial hearing and, according to a report in the Martins Ferry Times Leader, the Judge asked Griffin’s attorney to review three potential questionnaires that could be used during jury selection and him to have file a notice prior before today that states the name of those who will be trying the case on behalf of the Shamansky law firm.Any motions filed by the defense and by Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan will be considered during the hearing, and Flanagan expects Judge Berhalter will suggest a start date for the highly anticipated capital murder trial against Griffin. The husband and wife were found deceased inside their Trail End Road home after a fire had been reported by a neighbor on Sept. 21, 2021, and Griffin is the alleged killer.Chief Det. Ryan Allar and Det.-Sergeant Jordan Blumling investigated the double homicide for more than three years before arresting Griffin inside a Home Depot in Hilo. The defendant was with his younger brother, Zach, at the time local law enforcement served and arrested him, and he was incarcerated in the city’s jail until his extradition was granted in mid-March.Jail Administrator Chris Baker, Detective Sgt. Jason Schwarck, and Deputy Tristan Thomas were dispatched to the Hawaiian city to escort Griffin back to Belmont County in mid-March.One person connected to the Strussion murders already has been tried and convicted, and Oklahoma native Dalton Ray was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for lying to Belmont County detectives while they were investigating the murders. Detectives explained the Ray’s trial how they traveled from Ohio to Oklahoma to interview him in July 2024 regarding any information that he may have involving the deaths of the Strussions.Ray, a 33-year-old native of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, lied, and following the first interview, Allar and Blumling determined he gave them untruthful information. Detectives again traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray for a second time, and the evidence during trial proved his dishonesty continued.The pretrial hearing will take place inside the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairsville.Griffin and the Strussions were business partners in the Salsa Joe's Smokehouse location in Elm Grove, and Griffin moved to the area in the Fall of 2020.https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-1-blumling-graduates-to-strussion-double-murder/https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-2-thats-the-best-way-to-get-to-justice/embed/#?secret=vzWiUHgQ2n#?secret=PBWEAPaUTdhttps://ledenews.com/oklahoma-man-sentenced-in-belmont-county-for-obstrucion-of-justice-in-strussion-double-homicide-case/embed/#?secret=4gBy3KjmTk#?secret=OZxl2GI6DDhttps://ledenews.com/sheriff-zusack-there-will-be-more-surprises-in-strussion-case/embed/#?secret=uQz5NWD2uQ#?secret=TuzAxShv24https://ledenews.com/the-dollars-and-the-sense-behind-the-strussion-murder-investigation/embed/#?secret=Y2td0HKNXK#?secret=w5E4IAMomphttps://ledenews.com/belmont-county-detective-the-truth-is-out-there/embed/#?secret=Pdedj00F1S#?secret=SK1VYEmoTghttps://ledenews.com/surprise-strussion-murder-suspect-arrested-at-home-depot-in-hawaii/embed/#?secret=fQ54tNh0BQ#?secret=eIjd22tJ5Qhttps://ledenews.com/suspect-arrested-in-strussion-double-homicide/embed/#?secret=rAM5RT4Ytn#?secret=2seyqQBy97 Read the full article

A trial date was set today by Common Pleas Court Judge Chris Berhalter for the defendant charged with the aggravated murders of Thomas and Angela Strussion.The capital murder trial for Oklahoma native Andrew Griffin will begin on March 2, 2025.Griffin was arrested in February and charged in March with 12 counts of aggravated murder, a count of aggravated burglary, and a count of aggravated arson. The 33-year-old was extradited from Hilo, Hawaii, on March 14, and he’s been jailed in the county jail ever since.Griffin could face the death penalty if convicted.On July 1, Berhalter rescheduled a deposition of a state witness and the pretrial hearing and, according to a report in the Martins Ferry Times Leader, the Judge asked Griffin’s attorney to review three potential questionnaires that could be used during jury selection and him to have file a notice prior before today that states the name of those who will be trying the case on behalf of the Shamansky law firm.Any motions filed by the defense and by Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan will be considered during the hearing, and Flanagan expects Judge Berhalter will suggest a start date for the highly anticipated capital murder trial against Griffin. The husband and wife were found deceased inside their Trail End Road home after a fire had been reported by a neighbor on Sept. 21, 2021, and Griffin is the alleged killer.Chief Det. Ryan Allar and Det.-Sergeant Jordan Blumling investigated the double homicide for more than three years before arresting Griffin inside a Home Depot in Hilo. The defendant was with his younger brother, Zach, at the time local law enforcement served and arrested him, and he was incarcerated in the city’s jail until his extradition was granted in mid-March.Jail Administrator Chris Baker, Detective Sgt. Jason Schwarck, and Deputy Tristan Thomas were dispatched to the Hawaiian city to escort Griffin back to Belmont County in mid-March.One person connected to the Strussion murders already has been tried and convicted, and Oklahoma native Dalton Ray was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for lying to Belmont County detectives while they were investigating the murders. Detectives explained the Ray’s trial how they traveled from Ohio to Oklahoma to interview him in July 2024 regarding any information that he may have involving the deaths of the Strussions.Ray, a 33-year-old native of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, lied, and following the first interview, Allar and Blumling determined he gave them untruthful information. Detectives again traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray for a second time, and the evidence during trial proved his dishonesty continued.The pretrial hearing will take place inside the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairsville.Griffin and the Strussions were business partners in the Salsa Joe's Smokehouse location in Elm Grove, and Griffin moved to the area in the Fall of 2020.https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-1-blumling-graduates-to-strussion-double-murder/https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-2-thats-the-best-way-to-get-to-justice/embed/#?secret=vzWiUHgQ2n#?secret=PBWEAPaUTdhttps://ledenews.com/oklahoma-man-sentenced-in-belmont-county-for-obstrucion-of-justice-in-strussion-double-homicide-case/embed/#?secret=4gBy3KjmTk#?secret=OZxl2GI6DDhttps://ledenews.com/sheriff-zusack-there-will-be-more-surprises-in-strussion-case/embed/#?secret=uQz5NWD2uQ#?secret=TuzAxShv24https://ledenews.com/the-dollars-and-the-sense-behind-the-strussion-murder-investigation/embed/#?secret=Y2td0HKNXK#?secret=w5E4IAMomphttps://ledenews.com/belmont-county-detective-the-truth-is-out-there/embed/#?secret=Pdedj00F1S#?secret=SK1VYEmoTghttps://ledenews.com/surprise-strussion-murder-suspect-arrested-at-home-depot-in-hawaii/embed/#?secret=fQ54tNh0BQ#?secret=eIjd22tJ5Qhttps://ledenews.com/suspect-arrested-in-strussion-double-homicide/embed/#?secret=rAM5RT4Ytn#?secret=2seyqQBy97 Read the full article

A trial date was set today by Common Pleas Court Judge Chris Berhalter for the defendant charged with the aggravated murders of Thomas and Angela Strussion.The capital murder trial for Oklahoma native Andrew Griffin will begin on March 2, 2025.Griffin was arrested in February and charged in March with 12 counts of aggravated murder, a count of aggravated burglary, and a count of aggravated arson. The 33-year-old was extradited from Hilo, Hawaii, on March 14, and he’s been jailed in the county jail ever since.Griffin could face the death penalty if convicted.On July 1, Berhalter rescheduled a deposition of a state witness and the pretrial hearing and, according to a report in the Martins Ferry Times Leader, the Judge asked Griffin’s attorney to review three potential questionnaires that could be used during jury selection and him to have file a notice prior before today that states the name of those who will be trying the case on behalf of the Shamansky law firm.Any motions filed by the defense and by Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan will be considered during the hearing, and Flanagan expects Judge Berhalter will suggest a start date for the highly anticipated capital murder trial against Griffin. The husband and wife were found deceased inside their Trail End Road home after a fire had been reported by a neighbor on Sept. 21, 2021, and Griffin is the alleged killer.Chief Det. Ryan Allar and Det.-Sergeant Jordan Blumling investigated the double homicide for more than three years before arresting Griffin inside a Home Depot in Hilo. The defendant was with his younger brother, Zach, at the time local law enforcement served and arrested him, and he was incarcerated in the city’s jail until his extradition was granted in mid-March.Jail Administrator Chris Baker, Detective Sgt. Jason Schwarck, and Deputy Tristan Thomas were dispatched to the Hawaiian city to escort Griffin back to Belmont County in mid-March.One person connected to the Strussion murders already has been tried and convicted, and Oklahoma native Dalton Ray was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for lying to Belmont County detectives while they were investigating the murders. Detectives explained the Ray’s trial how they traveled from Ohio to Oklahoma to interview him in July 2024 regarding any information that he may have involving the deaths of the Strussions.Ray, a 33-year-old native of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, lied, and following the first interview, Allar and Blumling determined he gave them untruthful information. Detectives again traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray for a second time, and the evidence during trial proved his dishonesty continued.The pretrial hearing will take place inside the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairsville.Griffin and the Strussions were business partners in the Salsa Joe's Smokehouse location in Elm Grove, and Griffin moved to the area in the Fall of 2020.https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-1-blumling-graduates-to-strussion-double-murder/https://ledenews.com/murder-101-part-2-thats-the-best-way-to-get-to-justice/embed/#?secret=vzWiUHgQ2n#?secret=PBWEAPaUTdhttps://ledenews.com/oklahoma-man-sentenced-in-belmont-county-for-obstrucion-of-justice-in-strussion-double-homicide-case/embed/#?secret=4gBy3KjmTk#?secret=OZxl2GI6DDhttps://ledenews.com/sheriff-zusack-there-will-be-more-surprises-in-strussion-case/embed/#?secret=uQz5NWD2uQ#?secret=TuzAxShv24https://ledenews.com/the-dollars-and-the-sense-behind-the-strussion-murder-investigation/embed/#?secret=Y2td0HKNXK#?secret=w5E4IAMomphttps://ledenews.com/belmont-county-detective-the-truth-is-out-there/embed/#?secret=Pdedj00F1S#?secret=SK1VYEmoTghttps://ledenews.com/surprise-strussion-murder-suspect-arrested-at-home-depot-in-hawaii/embed/#?secret=fQ54tNh0BQ#?secret=eIjd22tJ5Qhttps://ledenews.com/suspect-arrested-in-strussion-double-homicide/embed/#?secret=rAM5RT4Ytn#?secret=2seyqQBy97 Read the full article

Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan announced today the sentencing of Dalton Ray for his conviction of Obstructing Justice after a jury trial on June 3, 2025.Ray received 30 months in prison for lying to detectives from the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office when they were investigating the double homicide case involving Angela and Thomas Strussion.At trial, detectives explained how they traveled from Ohio to Oklahoma to interview Ray in July 2024 regarding any information that he may have involving the deaths of the Strussions. After the first interview, detectives from Belmont County were able to determine that untruthful information was given to them by Ray. Detectives again traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray for a second time.Ray (on right) was questioned twice by Belmont County detectives before he was charged with obstruction of justice in the double homicide investigation. Andrew Griffin (on left) is the defendant in the case.The testimony at trial showed that Ray again provided false statements to the detectives during the second interview but this time detectives confronted Ray with evidence contradicting his statements.Detectives, knowing Ray was not being truthful, secured an arrest warrant to bring Ray back to Ohio to stand trial. Ray was on probation at the time that he lied so his probation was revoked in Texas. Belmont County waited for him to finish his sentence in Texas and then extradited him back to Ohio.In rendering the sentence, the Court found that Ray had a serious criminal history, the seriousness of lying to investigators during a homicide investigation and the fact that he was on probation at the time of his deception were all factors that warranted a prison sentence.Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan and his trial team will prosecute the double murder cases.Flanagan said that Joe Vavra tried the case in conjunction with the detectives from the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office.“The detectives were relentless in their pursuit of the truth as it relates to this homicide investigation. That is why they focused on bringing Ray back to Ohio. And once again, Joe did a masterful job for our office, as he always does, presenting the case to the jury,” said Flanagan. Read the full article

Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan announced today the sentencing of Dalton Ray for his conviction of Obstructing Justice after a jury trial on June 3, 2025.Ray received 30 months in prison for lying to detectives from the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office when they were investigating the double homicide case involving Angela and Thomas Strussion.At trial, detectives explained how they traveled from Ohio to Oklahoma to interview Ray in July 2024 regarding any information that he may have involving the deaths of the Strussions. After the first interview, detectives from Belmont County were able to determine that untruthful information was given to them by Ray. Detectives again traveled to Oklahoma to interview Ray for a second time.Ray (on right) was questioned twice by Belmont County detectives before he was charged with obstruction of justice in the double homicide investigation. Andrew Griffin (on left) is the defendant in the case.The testimony at trial showed that Ray again provided false statements to the detectives during the second interview but this time detectives confronted Ray with evidence contradicting his statements.Detectives, knowing Ray was not being truthful, secured an arrest warrant to bring Ray back to Ohio to stand trial. Ray was on probation at the time that he lied so his probation was revoked in Texas. Belmont County waited for him to finish his sentence in Texas and then extradited him back to Ohio.In rendering the sentence, the Court found that Ray had a serious criminal history, the seriousness of lying to investigators during a homicide investigation and the fact that he was on probation at the time of his deception were all factors that warranted a prison sentence.Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan and his trial team will prosecute the double murder cases.Flanagan said that Joe Vavra tried the case in conjunction with the detectives from the Belmont County Sheriff’s Office.“The detectives were relentless in their pursuit of the truth as it relates to this homicide investigation. That is why they focused on bringing Ray back to Ohio. And once again, Joe did a masterful job for our office, as he always does, presenting the case to the jury,” said Flanagan. Read the full article