Tuesday, June 26, 2007
The chief said he saw bone fragments on the floor from the victim’s skull.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON — A man was beaten to death by his son after he told his son to get a job, according to court testimony.
Wellsville Police Chief Joe Scarabino testified Monday he saw bits of bone on the floor after James W. Yost Jr., 59, was struck 10 times with a pipe wrench at his home.
The testimony occurred during a hearing Monday in Columbiana County Municipal Court.
Authorities had said Yost was found inside the front door of his house at 1103 Riverside Ave. early June 15. His son, James W. Yost Jr., 30, allegedly went to the village’s police dispatching center and confessed.
County Prosecutor Robert Herron said he had discovered that both men actually had the same name: James W. Yost Jr.
Scarabino testified that he knew the victim as “Jim,” while he called the son “Billy.”
The younger Yost sat with his head bowed during the hearing, and raised it only when the chief said Yost had confessed to Scarabino in a separate interview.
What happened
According to Scarabino, the son said he had been drinking and gone to his father’s house, knocked on the door, and was told to come in. The father and son discussed where the son’s girlfriend may have been.
Scarabino said the son asked his father for drugs, and the father denied he had any. There was testimony the father had thrown away drugs belonging to his son at a Salineville residence.
The younger Yost then went to the basement, got a pipe wrench, put in his pocket and went upstairs. Then they discussed Yost’s girlfriend, according to testimony.
When the father began to tell his son to get a job, Scarabino said the son admitted he took out the wrench and hit his father in the head 10 times.
Afterward, the chief said the son felt for a pulse and went to the dispatch center.
Scarabino said he saw skull bone fragments on the floor next to the victim. The elder Yost was pronounced dead later at East Liverpool City Hospital.
Past charges
The defendant had indicated to authorities that he is on prescription medication. Officials did not say what the medication is for or what medication he is taking.
The younger Yost is in the county jail without bond.
The son had drawn a six-month prison sentence after assaulting his father in 2002.
The son was also fined $75 in 1997 on a charge of aggravated trespass at his father’s house.
At the son’s initial appearance on the murder charge, he told Judge Mark Frost he had blacked out, and added, “I didn’t mean to kill my father.”
The defendant also said, “Can I plead guilty right now and have immediate sentencing?”
Judge Frost said he had no authority to do that.
wilkinson@vindy.com