ASHLAND — The Ashland County Common Pleas Court has set a trial date for 2025 in the case an Ashland man accused of killing his son-in-law in early 2023, according to court documents.
Howard Walters, 59, is accused of the slaying of his son-in-law, Kurtis Harstine, 41. He faces a number of charges related to Harstine’s death, including aggravated murder.
Judge Janet R. Burnside had a pretrial conference in the case July 25 via Zoom. According to an order that came out after that pretrial conference, Walters’ trial will begin April 7, 2025 at 9 a.m.
The order states the trial could take between three to four weeks, and the court will issue orders for jury selection and jury questionnaires.
(Below is a copy of the order after the pretrial conference.)
This is a capital case, meaning Walters — a former Ashland University professor — faces the death penalty.
Why the wait?
The primary delay in the case centered around Walters’ financial status, an indigency motion that attorneys and visiting Judge Janet Burnside couldn’t agree upon for several months.
The question of indigency comes when the accused cannot afford legal representation.
On paper, Walters is not indigent, Ashland County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Tunnell has said.
Walters worked as an adult education professor at Ashland University from 2001 to 2021. From June 2021 to May 2023, he worked for North Central State College as an academic administrator.
Court records show Walters earned $100,000 per year over the last three years from his employment and consulting work.
He also owned an LLC that operated eight rental properties locally. Court records show the LLC’s total assessed value of just under $710,000.
But the question of indigency came shortly after Walters’ wife filed for divorce in November.
The divorce proceedings froze the couple’s bank accounts and assets until March, when the divorce became final.
Catch up on the case here
According to the separation agreement, the wife received the marital residence, all eight rental properties, the LLC bank account and an equal share of Walters’ retirement assets.
Burnside ruled on July 1 that Walters would not be considered indigent. In a journal entry, she pointed to a bank account with $40,000 cash in it and a $32,000 vehicle that he owns.
“The total puts his assets at over $70,000,” Burnside wrote.
Determining financial status
Walters’ attorney also filed a motion for release of property July 25, according to court filings. That motion asks the court to release Walters’ Toyota Tacoma, valued at $32,000, to a designee.
(A copy of the motion for release of property is below.)
Defense counsel doesn’t believe the vehicle is fully intact, according to the motion.
“If (Walters) is to sell the vehicle in order to help finance the defense of his capital case, the vehicle must be entirely intact, including all electronic components, or else its value will likely be greatly diminished,” the motion states.
The motion asks the court not to include the vehicle in Walters’ indigency determination if the state will not release it fully intact.
According to the court’s order post-pretrial conference, a hearing on the motion will take place Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. via Zoom.