Man charged in 4 killings in small Ohio town set for plea change

COLUMBUS (AP) — A change-of-plea hearing has been scheduled for a man accused of killing four men at their homes in a small, north-central Ohio city, after an expert concluded he was competent to stand trial.

The hearing for Donald Hoffman is set for Wednesday, days before the scheduled trial in the potential death-penalty case in Bucyrus. The judge’s hearing order, issued last week, indicated a potential plea deal was reached but provided no details.

Hoffman, 41, previously pleaded not guilty on 21 counts, including aggravated murder and robbery.

Messages left today for Hoffman’s attorneys, Rolf Whitney and Robert Whitney, and Crawford County Prosecutor Matthew Crall weren’t immediately returned.

A coroner determined the four men found dead in September were beaten, strangled or both.