Family talks of delays in murder case

October 23, 2018 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

Family members of a woman prosecutors claim was killed and put in a freezer said Monday they are confident the case will move forward despite delays.

Relatives of Shannon Elizabeth Graves of Mahoning Avenue said outside the courtroom of Judge Lou D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court that they trust the prosecution team from the state attorney general’s office and also feel confident as long as the suspects remain in the jail.

Charged in the death of Graves, who was found in a freezer in July 2017 in a Campbell home, is Arturo Novoa, 32, of Mahoning Avenue. Facing charges for helping him dispose of her body and misleading police are Andrew Hermann, 27, and his wife, Michelle Lee Ihlenfeld, also 27, both of Francisca Avenue.

Attorneys in the case met with Judge D’Apolito off the record and are expected to meet again in November. A trial date is expected for sometime next year, after Anthony Donofrio takes over for Judge D’Apolito, who is retiring.

Debbie DePaul, Graves’ sister, said while she wishes there were no delays, she said she is confident in the way the case is going because prosecutors with the attorney general’s office are keeping her and her father, Ron DePaul, informed.

Debbie DePaul filed a grievance with the Mahoning County Bar Association earlier this year because she was not happy with the way the county prosecutor’s office was handling the case.

Dan Kasaris, an assistant state attorney general, was appointed to prosecute the case by county Prosecutor Paul Gains, and since he came on board, he filed a superseding indictment that implicated Ihlenfeld and Hermann.

“I have more trust in who’s involved now with the prosecution team.,” Debbie DePaul said.

Ron DePaul said he also wants the trial to be held as quickly as possible, but said, “I don’t care how long it takes as long as they’re locked up.”

A fourth defendant, Katrina Layton, was arrested with Novoa last summer and later pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and abuse of a corpse. She is free on bail.

Graves used to be Novoa’s girlfriend.