ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A Ross County woman has been offiically charged with murder after shooting her boyfriend and setting a car on fire to dispose of his body.
Jara Newman, 44, has been indicted with murder on Friday following a grand jury meeting related to an incident that unfolded in Ross County. The charges carry a potential sentence of 15 years to life for murder, and Newman also faces an additional indictment on a felonious assault charge.
The case stems from a disturbing sequence of events that began earlier this month when deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a vehicle explosion at Newman’s residence on Bull Creek Road. Upon arrival, authorities discovered Newman’s live-in boyfriend, Eric Vanover, lying unresponsive in the yard, with firefighters battling a blaze from the destroyed vehicle nearby. The situation took a dark turn as it was revealed that Vanover, initially thought to be a victim of the vehicle explosion, had sustained a gunshot wound. The gunshot was discovered only after he was placed on life support at a local hospital, prompting suspicions of foul play.
According to Newman’s account of the incident, she and Vanover had engaged in an argument, during which he retreated to his vehicle. Moments later, the vehicle exploded, leading Newman to seek help from passersby.
However, investigators became skeptical when a witness revealed that she observed Newman gathering items, including potentially valuable jewelry, from the residence. Newman later confessed during questioning that she may have fired a weapon through a back window, raising suspicions that the vehicle explosion could have been orchestrated to conceal a violent shooting incident.
Local authorities are actively working to piece together the events of that fateful night, seeking justice for the victim and the community. Vanover was placed on life support and later died as a result of his injuries.
The case remains under investigation, and law enforcement officials are committed to uncovering the full extent of the events that transpired at the Bull Creek Road residence.
