County man bound over to grand jury on murder charge
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LISBON -- Gary Joiner, the man accused in the shooting death of Ryan Virden in a Homeworth Road home last week, was bound over to the grand jury following a preliminary hearing in county Municipal Court on Thursday.
Joiner, 42, Fink Road, Kensington, is charged with murder, an unclassified felony, and faces 15 years to life in prison if convicted.
Deputy Sgt. Caleb Wycoff detailed some aspects of the investigation during a preliminary hearing before Judge Timothy McNicol, including that Joiner reportedly admitted both to a 911 dispatcher and to someone working in the sheriff's booking department that he had just killed someone.
Virden was dead in the master bedroom on the north side of the trailer home of Nicole Kenst when deputies arrived, Wycoff testified as he was questioned by Chief Assistant County Prosecutor Ryan Weikart. He had two gunshot wounds -- one to the chest and one to the shin. Wycoff said he also had significant blood around his face. The wound to the chest was believed to be the fatal one.
With the bedroom near to the shower in the bathroom, Virden was reportedly wearing only a towel around him.
Kenst lives there and Wycoff testified she told detectives Joiner had recently picked up his belongings from the trailer. Additionally, deputies believe Michael Spencer and Virden also stayed there from time to time.
Joiner was one of three people who called 911 that night to report the shooting, along with Spencer and Brad Morris. Both Joiner and Kenst were outside the home when deputies arrived. A 22 long rifle was found leaning against a tree outside, Wycoff said, and there were four shell casings from the same type of gun found inside the home.
The night of the shooting, Joiner had significant amounts of blood on his shoes and his pants, Wycoff said, although when defense attorney Jeffrey Jakmides questioned Wycoff about whether the clothes were sent to a lab, he replied "no."
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations assisted with the crime scene and the Cuyahoga Coroner's office handled the autopsy, but Wycoff said the reports are not yet available.
Jakmides also pressed Wycoff about whether there would be more charges filed against Joiner. Although he indicated Joiner may not have been truthful with investigators and dispatchers when calling 911 and had possibly tampered with evidence, including a machette, Wycoff also noted it remains an ongoing investigation.
Court documents state authorities believe Joiner forced his way in while yelling and then fired at least two shots at Virden. Wycoff said the side door to the home was damaged.
Jakmides questioned if Wycoff was familiar with Virden. He indicated Virden has had drug-related and weapons-related "run-ins with the law," but said he did not know of any crimes of violence.
Joiner remains in custody on a $1 million cash or surety bond.
Prior to the hearing on the murder, Joiner also appeared on a domestic violence charge from another incident in which Kenst is reportedly the person he is accused of assaulting on March 13. He had been taken into custody on the domestic violence warrant after the shooting incident.
Joiner on Thursday signed a paper waiving his rights to a speedy trial on the domestic violence charge. A pretrial then was scheduled for June 10.