5th try at murder conviction ends in hung jury

YOUNGSTOWN — After the equivalent of almost two full days of deliberations, a seven-man, five-woman jury was unable to reach a verdict in the trial of Christopher Anderson for the 2002 murder of Amber Zurcher.

At about 2:30 p.m. today, the jurors, who started their deliberations Wednesday afternoon, informed Judge James C. Evans of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court that they were deadlocked hopelessly.

The two-week trial that ended today as a mistrial was the fifth trial attempt for Anderson, who was returned to county jail to await further action in his case.

Anderson, 42, of South Main Street, Austintown, was one of several people who attended a party in Zurcher’s Compass West apartment in Austintown. After everyone else left, Anderson returned and strangled the 22-year-old Zurcher with a cord on June 3, 2002, prosecutors allege.

For the complete story, see Saturday's Vindicator and Vindy.com