MURDER CASE Trustees OK fee payments

The car was held since June 2002.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- The township's costs associated with prosecuting a convicted murderer have gone up by nearly $4,000.
Common Pleas Court Judge James C. Evans has ordered the township to pay $3,960 in towing and storage fees to Ludt's Auto & amp; Truck Towing for the 1987 Cadillac used by Michael Hogan in the murder of 71-year-old John Ruble. Trustees approved payment Monday night.
On May 31, 2002, Ruble and his wife went to a South Avenue fire station to drop off recyclable goods. Hogan snatched Ruble's wife's purse and tried to leave in the Cadillac.
Ruble tried to stop Hogan from leaving, but was run over and dragged by the car. He later died from his injuries.
Hogan was eventually convicted of murder and aggravated robbery. He is serving a consecutive 10 years for aggravated robbery and 15 years to life for the murder.
Car was towed
Boardman police Capt. Jack Nichols said the car was found shortly after the murder, towed back to the township and held at the garage because it contained valuable forensic evidence.
The township is required to pay storage only up to the date of Hogan's conviction -- Oct. 24, 2003.
Hogan, said Nichols, is required to pay an additional $1,000 in storage fees to Ludt's for the time the car was held at the garage after his conviction. Nichols said Ludt's will likely take possession of the car in lieu of the $1,000.
Also Monday, trustees declared a Stafford Avenue home a nuisance. Pete Ross, assistant zoning inspector, said trash, debris and an abandoned car at 208 Stafford Ave. led township police to contact the zoning department.
The resolution passed by trustees says all junk, debris, appliances and the car must be removed from the property within seven days. The car will likely be removed and salvaged by the township if it is not removed by the owner within the seven-day period, Ross said.
The home was occupied by renters, but is vacant, said Ross.
jgoodwin@vindy.com