John Houser Sr. sent to prison for probation violation

YOUNGSTOWN — John Houser Sr., father of Jamar Houser, the suspect in the murder of an elderly woman outside St. Dominic Church, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for a probation violation.

Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court imposed the sentence today after John Houser’s probation officer saw Houser driving a vehicle under license suspension.

Brian Worrell, the probation officer, told the court the elder Houser of Volney Road also tested positive for cocaine and marijuana and failed to report to a drug-treatment program for an evaluation.

Judge D’Apolitio had sentenced Houser to probation in May after Houser pleaded guilty to obstructing justice based on remarks he made to a witness in his son’s case.

Jamar Houser, 19, is charged with aggravated murder with a death-penalty speciation and aggravated robbery in the fatal shooting of Angeline Fimognari, 80, of Sheridan Road outside the church Jan. 23.

For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com