HOCKING COUNTY, Ohio — A judge in Hocking County Juvenile Court ruled two teenagers charged in the death of a woman at Hocking Hills State Park will be tried as adults.
Judge Jonah Saving made the ruling in the cases against 16-year-olds Jaden Churchheus and Jordan Buckley on Tuesday.
Both are charged with murder, felonious assault and involuntary manslaughter in the death of Victoria Schafer.
Schafer, who was taking photos with a group of students, was struck and killed by a 74-pound, 6-foot long log while sitting on the stairs at Old Man’s Cave on Sept. 2. She was killed instantly.
According to authorities, a caller told authorities on October 8 that one of the teens sent a text message to a classmate stating that he had done something serious at the park.
During Tuesday’s hearing for Churchheus, Ohio Department of Natural Resources investigator Troy Newman testified he knew right away the log falling from the cliff was not an accident because it did not fall straight down and had forward momentum.
Newman said the log was a cut log, and it matched others piled in the area above the staircase near where Schafer was killed.
Defense attorney Ryan Shepler asked Newman if the log could have ricocheted on its way off the cliff, and Newman admitted that was possible.
Hocking County Sheriff’s Lt. Dustin Robinson testified that Churchheus admitted he knew people were below the cliff that day.
Robinson said Churchheus told him he knew if something was thrown off the top of the cliff someone could have “passed.” When asked to clarify, Churchheus admitted that he meant death.
The defense played the video of the interview between the sheriff’s office and Churchheus. In the video, the teen admitted touching the log but said Buckley is the one who kicked it.
The video interview also shows Churchheus being asked if he knew what was below the cliff where they were. He says “No.’’ Then, after further questioning, he says “People, I guess.”
Shepler later argued that part of the testimony proved Churchheus did not know people were below the cliff, only answering when led by detectives.
The defense also argued that, during a section of the video that was hard to hear, Churchheus said he and Buckley individually flipped and kicked the log to see "what noise it would make" that day.
Miranda Spencer, 19, who was with Churchheus and Buckley, testified one of the boys looked over the edge to check if anyone was below and said no one was below the cliff.
She said one boy pushed the log, and the other was the lookout. She did not recall which one pushed the log.
During the second hearing, a video interview at the crime scene showed Buckley demonstrating how he used his non-broken hand and leg to move the log.
During his hearing today, an investigator for ODNR testified that Buckley texted his girlfriend that he was just trying to be "cool" and that he admitted to the point that Jaden and himself threw the log.
Previous conversations stated that Buckley's girlfriend did not recall who threw the log. She testified today that Jaden is the one who through the log off the cliff.
Judge Saving set a cash surety bond of $100,000 for both Churchheus and Buckley. Both were ordered to return to the juvenile detention center.
If either is released, they will be required to wear an ankle monitor.