High court overturns convictions in 1988 slaying

COLUMBUS (AP) -- The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered new trials for two men convicted 16 years ago of beating a woman to death and dumping her body in a pond.
The court ruled unanimously to reject an appeals court decision that had upheld the 1990 convictions of Robert Gondor and Randy Resh. The two were convicted of killing 31-year-old Connie Nardi in August 1988 after an evening of drinking in Portage County.
Those convictions were overturned in June 2002 when a judge ruled that separate juries didn't hear evidence that could have cleared the men. The judge also ordered new trials.
In January 2005, the 11th District Court of Appeals in Warren upheld the convictions, basing its decision on the original juries believing the testimony of the first man convicted in the case, Troy Busta of Hiram.
Resh is serving up to life in prison and Gondor is serving up to 51 years. Both men were 24 when Nardi was killed in 1988.
Justice Paul Pfeifer said the two men presented "competent and credible evidence" their convictions should be thrown out.