Suspect in Valley truck-stop killing ordered to psychiatric hospital

Staff/wire report

AUSTINTOWN

The former long haul trucker authorities charged with the 1992 murder of a woman whose body was found near an Austintown truck stop has been ordered hospitalized at a psychiatric facility to determine if he’s mentally competent to stand trial on rape charges outside Cleveland.

Samuel Legg, 43, pleaded not guilty to the aggravated murder of Sharon Lynn Kedzierski, 43, of Florida at his arraignment in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court February this year. Her body was found at Interstate 80 and state Route 46.

Investigators used DNA evidence to link him to the crime, along with two other slayings at Ohio truck stops, one slaying at an Illinois truck stop, adn the 1997 rape of a 17-year-old girl in Illinois.

Authorities arrested Legg at an Arizona group home in January after updated DNA technology linked him to the rape and slayings.

Medina County Judge Joyce Kimbler on Friday ordered Legg’s hospitalization for up to four months.

Defense attorney David Sheldon says Legg is currently unable to assist in his defense.

Legg is charged with raping a 17-year-old girl in September 1997. The Medina County prosecutor then didn’t pursue charges after questioning the victim’s credibility.