Trumbull prosecutor seeks more prison time for murderer

Staff report

WARREN

Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins is asking the Ohio Parole Board to refuse parole for Gary A. Betz, 61, who spent 30 years in prison for killing a Newton Township tavern owner in 1977, then got out of prison on parole and committed new offenses that put him back behind bars.

Betz is eligible for parole again in December.

Betz was released from prison in 2007 for the murder of Ronald Goche in Goche’s Riviera Inn near Lake Milton.

But Betz committed drunk-driving offenses in Minerva in 2010 and 2011 and was sent back to prison, where he has remained. He was most recently denied parole in February 2013.

Watkins has said Betz killed Goche about six months after Betz and Goche became acquainted.

On the night of the murder, Goche had closed up the tavern and taken the receipts to a back area in the building when Betz came in with the shotgun. Unknown to Betz at the time, however, a witness was sleeping in the back area and heard the conversation that followed.

Goche asked Betz, “‘Gary, why do you have a gun? Take what you want. Consider it a loan. You won’t get in any trouble,’” Watkins said.

At that point, Betz said, “‘You’re right, I won’t,’” and shot Goche in the face, killing him, and taking the $138 Goche was counting, Watkins said.

Watkins said Betz told the parole board in 2007 that he had an autoimmune deficiency that causes skin and joint problems and that 50 percent of victims die within five years, but Watkins never was allowed to examine medical evidence of the condition to check its legitimacy.

Watkins said refusing to allow him to examine and challenge information used as a reason for parole isn’t fair.

In the most recent letter to the parole board, Watkins asked again to view Betz’s medical records.

Watkins also noted that Betz was first in trouble with the law at age 11 and placed on probation for assault.

At 17, he was found delinquent for breaking and entering and was committed to the Mansfield Youth Center. He was sent to prison when he was 19 for breaking and entering.

Noting that the parole board released Betz on parole in 2007, Watkins said, “Please don’t be duped again.”