Conclusion: How to Stop a Serial Killer

USPA NEWS - It will be two years since Sierah Joughin went missing and was later found buried in a shallow grave a mile from James Worley's residence.

The two year anniversary of Sierah Joughin´s disappearance is on July 19th, 2018. After Sierah´s bicycle was found with James Worley´s motorcycle helmet and his story about his cycle breaking down close by, Mr. Worley was arrested for abduction. When Ms. Joughin´s body was found on July 22, 2016, a mile from Mr. Worley´s residence, he was then charged with murder. The Grand Jury of Fulton County, Ohio, further indicted him with 19 counts ranging from abduction and kidnapping, to aggravated murder and gross abuse of a corpse.

James Worley´s trial began four months ago on March 5th, 2018, with the choice of jurors, 20 months after the horrific incident happened. Twenty months of preparation by the prosecutors and defense. The trial lasted one month. Over 200 pieces of paperwork filed varying from motions, responses, evidence, and a coroner´s report. On March 23, 2018, the jury was sequestered to reach their decision about the charges filed against Mr. Worley. On March 27, 2018, they found him guilty on all 19 counts. The sentencing followed on April 18, 2018. The death sentence. Fulton County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffery Robinson ruled the sentence would be carried out one year later. Such rulings usually do not happen as stated, pending appeals and other delays that occur in the system.

Under the Ohio Revised Code (ORC), Title 29 ““ Crimes ““ Procedure, Chapter 2947: Judgment; Sentence, Article 2947.08 Time of execution where death sentence imposed ““ “In cases where the death sentence is imposed, at least one hundred twenty days shall intervene between the day of sentence and the day appointed for the execution thereof.“ I would imagine Sierah Joughin´s family would like Mr. Worley´s death to happen as soon as possible, but things do not always go as planned. ORC 2949.22 discusses the method of execution of the death sentence, where it “shall be executed by causing the application to the person upon whom the sentence was imposed, of a lethal injection of a drug or combination of drug of sufficient dosage to quickly and painlessly cause death.“

In an attempt to safeguard his assets, James Worley transferred his 3.05 acre property to a trust of which he is sole trustee on July 29, 2016. This was seven days after he was criminally charged with Ms. Joughin´s abduction and murder. Sierah Joughin´s family filed a civil case against Mr. Worley last year on April 5, 2017, suing him for punitive damages, alleging Mr. Worley was liable in the wrongful death of Sierah and her injuries, pain and suffering, mental and emotional anguish, and damage to her clothing. Additionally, that her survivors suffered damages of loss of support, services, and of prospective inheritance, and mental anguish. Also that they suffered the loss of society of Sierah, including loss of love, companionship, consortium, care, assistance, attention, protection, advice, guidance, counsel, instruction, training and education.

Last month on June 20, 2018, James Worley agreed to transfer his real estate to the Estate of Sierah Joughin, and the Court granted the judgment in favor of Sierah´s Estate in the amount of $3.6 million, with the understanding that the Plaintiff will not execute on the judgment unless Mr. Worley receives a windfall of money such as winning the lottery, or receiving a book or movie rights or royalties relating to his life story. It is rumored that there is a book deal in the works. Sierah's family plan on bulldozing all the buildings that are on the former Worley property.

How could Sierah´s murder been stopped? Stiffer penalties in abduction and kidnapping cases. Those found guilty of drug possession do more time that James Worley did in his first abduction case in 1990. Also, those convicted of abduction and kidnapping of adults should also be made to register as a predator, even when there is no sexual contact. Had the residents of the area around where Mr. Worley lived been aware of his past, this may not have happened.

There are several unsolved murders of young women in Fulton and Lucas Counties in Ohio, that require new investigations to see if James Worley could be considered a suspect. Michelle Hoffman was found dead in a wooded area of Mulberry Park in Toledo, in Lucas County, on September 15, 1981. Cause of death was determined to be blunt force injury to the head. She was 19 years old. Also in Lucas County, 17 year old Sharon Ward of Toledo was found deceased on February 28, 1982, in a cornfield off of Jacobs Road in Oregon, Ohio. The manner of death was blunt force trauma to the head and multiple stab wounds. In Fulton County, on December 13, 1983, the nude body of Joann Jaso from Toledo, was found in a ditch, in the area of County Roads 11 and F. Ms. Jaso was 27 years old. These cases are eerily similar to that of Sierah Joughin´s.

Wendy Westhoven
United States Press Agency
Comments and suggestions are welcome.
E-mail - westhovenwendy@gmail.com

Sources:
Fulton County, Ohio, Clerk of Courts
Attorney General, State of Ohio, Cold Cases
Ohio Revised Code