Suspect in wife’s slaying indicted on bomb charge

Police said Amato also possessed rifles, handguns and a shotgun.

STAFF REPORT

LISBON — Jack C. Amato Jr., who is awaiting trial for the shooting death of his wife in 2007, has been indicted on allegations of having homemade bombs in his possession.

The Columbiana County grand jury handed up the new indictment on the charge of possession of a dangerous ordnance Thursday.

Amato Jr., 36, is at the county jail after five guns and homemade bombs were discovered Sept. 17 when authorities executed a search warrant at the Irondale home of his father, Dr. Jack Amato. Amato Jr. had been staying there under electronic monitoring while awaiting trial.

The indictment states that Amato Jr. possessed “a pipe bomb (s).”

Authorities said they found two rifles, two handguns, a shotgun and about 18 bombs in Amato Jr.’s bedroom in his father’s house.

Amato Jr. unsuccessfully asked that the monitoring be stopped.

The homicide case is temporarily at a standstill.

Defense attorney James Hartford previously filed a motion to suppress the warrant to search the house.

Judge C. Ashley Pike of common pleas court, however, cannot hear that motion since he issued the warrant.

Judge David Tobin stepped aside since he is a friend of the Amatos’. Judge Tom Baronzzi of the county’s probate and juvenile court also stepped aside.

The Ohio Supreme Court will have to name a visiting judge, and no trial date has been set.

Amato Jr. contended he shot his wife, Tonia, between her eyes in self-defense after she shot at him with a .22-caliber pistol in 2007. Authorities have indicated they have not found the gun involved in her death.