Amato gets 8 years in slaying of his wife

By D.A. WILKINSON

wilkinson@vindy.com

LISBON

Jack C. Amato Jr. will spend eight years in prison for shooting his wife to death in a case that is still murky.

Judge C. Ashley Pike of Columbiana County Common Pleas Court said in a prepared statement about the case: “With respect to a significant body of that evidence, problems have been experienced, and significant questions remain.”

The judge could have increased or deceased the recommended sentence reached by attorneys. But he said the lawyers knew the case best, and the sentencing would bring finality to the case.

Amato, 38, was charged with shooting his wife, Tonia, 25, between her eyes July 1, 2007, at their Wellsville home. The shot was fired from a .45-calber handgun, but the gun was never found.

Lynn Grimshaw of Wheelersburg was named as a special prosecutor because Dr. Jack Amato, the father of the defendant, has been active in the county health department, and county Prosecutor Robert Herron represents county agencies.

Dr. Amato was called to the scene at 1:18 p.m. that day. Grimshaw asked in court, “Why not call 911?”

The special prosecutor said the county coroner, Dr. William Graham, told him the victim’s body temperature indicated the shooting could have happened “multiple hours earlier” and certainly “prior to noon.”

During the hearing, the victim’s parents, Dick and Kathy Brundage, described their daughter as loving and helpful to others.

Kathy Brundage said that “God is sovereign,” and the loss of their daughter was “far too soon in our estimation.” She said her child was “killed by a lonely and desperate soul” and added, “You vowed to protect her, and you broke that vow.”

But she brought a Bible as a gift to Amato Jr., which was passed to a deputy.

Amato Jr. said to the Brundages, “You’re right. I lost my best friend. Thank you for your forgiveness.”