The case has seized regional and national attention. “Dateline NBC” has covered the trials gavel-to-gavel. The unknown facts and surprise witnesses in the case have thrown curves and punched holes in many theories on what happen on the night of Aug. 11, 2008, at the young couple’s home.
Sarah and Ryan Widmer had been married a scant four months when she drowned, apparently in the bathtub of their Hamilton Twp. home. There were no signs the couple argued or had troubles, but authorities charged the husband with murder two days later.
On Tuesday, he will appear before a third jury charged with determining his fate. The first jury found Widmer in 2009 not guilty of aggravated murder, but guilty of drowning his wife.
He was sentenced to 15 years to life and spent 125 days in prison before Common Pleas Judge Neal Bronson said jurors committed misconduct and ordered a new trial. Widmer chose a different defense team and a second jury in June said it could not determine a verdict after three weeks of testimony.
There is no known motive and no one has been able to adequately explain how she died. She drowned, that’s undisputed by experts on both sides of the case, but no one can say how.
First responders arrived about six minutes after Widmer dialed 911 to report his wife’s drowning. Widmer reported he found his wife unreponsive in the bathtub and that she must have fallen asleep and drowned.
But, emergency workers testified they found Sarah Widmer’s body dry and asked police detectives to take a look at the scene.
Dr. Michael Balko, a forensic pathologist who is expected to testify again, said in the first trial he conducted his own shower experiment.
“I was curious about that myself. I stood outside my shower this morning and didn’t dry off,” he testified. “It took about seven minutes before I was substantially dry.”
Several jurors admitted they conducted Balko-like experiments at home during deliberations, causing the second trial. Some jurors said they felt Widmer staged the 911 tape to cover up his crime.
Widmer’s family and supporters have spent $500,000 defending the 30-year-old man who has steadfastly proclaimed his innocence. The two trials have cost taxpayers in Warren County $51,924. The first cost $22,214 and the second $29,710, according to the prosecutor’s office. These costs do not include payroll for staffers who have worked on the case for two years.
The two previous trials— which featured most of the same witnesses —were starkly different. The third trial promises to be exponentially different, given a mystery witness the prosecutors say will testify Widmer confessed to killing his wife and outlined what triggered the attack.
After the first trial, the “Free Ryan Widmer” website emerged and several candlelight vigils and fundraisers were staged. Bloggers on the site condemn Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel for “persecuting” instead of prosecuting Widmer.
Both sides are under a gag order by the judge, but Hutzel has said her only goal is to seek justice for Sarah Widmer.
“The Steward (Sarah’s maiden name) family is fully committed to proceeding with a retrial and will cooperate fully in any such proceeding,” Hutzel wrote in a motion. “Ruth Ann Steward and her son Michael are firmly convinced that Ryan Widmer caused the death of Sarah.”
Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4525 or dcallahan@coxohio.com.
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