A Hocking County Probate Judge Tuesday granted a prosecutor’s request to charge two teenagers with the death of a Chillicothe woman as adults.
Judge Jonah Saving said that he granted the state’s request for Jordan A. Buckley and Jaden W. Churchheus, both 16, to be tried as adults because the teens “knew it was a busy Memorial Day weekend” and that they knew there could be people below a cliff after they admitted to rolling a log over a ledge. It was that cliff that the boys are accused of rolling the log that dropped and killed local photographer Victoria Shafer, of Chillicothe.
The hearing Tueaday was a probable cause hearing to see if the state’s request to charge the teen as adults would be granted.
The teens were initially charged with reckless homicide, which is a third-degree misdemeanor, but county prosecutors said evidence led investigators to determine additional charges were needed.
Schafer, 44, was killed Sept. 2 by the falling tree branch.
She took a trip to Hocking Hills State Park with high school students for their senior photos earlier this month. Schafer was near a cave when part of a tree, located on top of the cave, fell on her leading to her death. ODNR says the tree did not fall naturally.
ODNR previously released a statement saying a group of people on top of the cave may be responsible. The state investigators would not say how it fell nor if the tree was already cut.
Schafer’s husband wrote a message on Facebook saying:
“I want to thank everyone for all of the words of love and support in this trying time. Victoria was truly one of a kind. She was taking photographs at Hocking Hills when this terrible incident happened. She died doing what she loved to do.”
Crime Stoppers had asked anyone who visited the park on September 2 to call them with any pictures or videos they took that day.
