07-27-2012, 10:02 PM
Toledo Blade July 27
An East Toledo man charged in the brutal asphyxiation deaths of a Springfield Township couple was found guilty today by a Lucas County Common Pleas Court jury.
Samuel Williams, 24, was convicted of two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of aggravated burglary.
The jury of nine women and three men returned the verdict at about 10 a.m. today, after deliberating for more than seven hours. The guilty verdict means that Williams will undergo a second phase of trial, beginning Monday, to determine if he faces the death penalty.
Williams was charged in the Jan. 30, 2011, deaths of Lisa Straub, 20, and Johnny Clarke, 21. The couple were found in the Springfield Township home of Ms. Straub’s parents with their hands bound behind their backs and plastic bags secured around their necks with duct tape. Clarke’s ankles also were bound with duct tape.
Common Pleas Judge James Bates on Thursday acquitted a second defendant, Cameo Pettaway, on the grounds of insufficient evidence.
![[Image: CTY-williams27p-Street-Address-10677-Fre...ysburg.jpg]](http://www.toledoblade.com/image/2012/07/27/800x_b1_cCM_z_cT/CTY-williams27p-Street-Address-10677-Fremont-Pike-Perrysburg.jpg)
An East Toledo man charged in the brutal asphyxiation deaths of a Springfield Township couple was found guilty today by a Lucas County Common Pleas Court jury.
Samuel Williams, 24, was convicted of two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of aggravated burglary.
The jury of nine women and three men returned the verdict at about 10 a.m. today, after deliberating for more than seven hours. The guilty verdict means that Williams will undergo a second phase of trial, beginning Monday, to determine if he faces the death penalty.
Williams was charged in the Jan. 30, 2011, deaths of Lisa Straub, 20, and Johnny Clarke, 21. The couple were found in the Springfield Township home of Ms. Straub’s parents with their hands bound behind their backs and plastic bags secured around their necks with duct tape. Clarke’s ankles also were bound with duct tape.
Common Pleas Judge James Bates on Thursday acquitted a second defendant, Cameo Pettaway, on the grounds of insufficient evidence.