The Van Wert County Courthouse

Thursday, Mar. 28, 2024

Peters murder trial continues in CP Court

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent writer

As expected, testimony began Tuesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court in the trial of Delphos resident Christopher M. Peters.

Christopher M. Peters is on trial in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court. Scott Truxell/Van Wert independent

Peters is charged with aggravated murder, felonious assault, and endangering children in connection with the November 15, 2016, death of 15-month-old Hayden Ridinger.

The boy’s mother, Valerie Dean, 25, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering children. She’s scheduled to stand trial in December.

Van Wert County 9-1-1 dispatcher Rodney Smith was the first to take the stand Tuesday. He testified that Dean was upset and crying when she called emergency responders to the Old Lincoln Inn Apartments on Lincoln Highway, after finding her son non-responsive and not breathing. Jurors also heard a recording of the 9-1-1 call and saw photos of the crime scene.

The manager of the Old Lincoln Inn then took the stand and explained what she saw November 15, which included finding the boy dead in his crib.

Also taking the stand Tuesday — Delphos firefighter and EMT Roy Hoehn, who was the first emergency responder to arrive at the scene; Van Wert County Coroner Dr. Scott Jarvis; and David Hammond, a special agent with the Bowling Green office of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. Witnesses all offered their testimony on when they arrived at the scene.

All three said they noticed bruises on the boy, and Jarvis said he believed the young child had been dead for more than six hours, but less than 24 hours. Dr. Jarvis also testified that he later interviewed Dean, who claimed the boy had been sick with an upper respiratory infection.

During his cross examination of Jarvis, defense attorney Robert Grzykowski said he and co-counsel William Kluge hired another coroner who claims the boy died from a lethal level of Benadryl. Jarvis countered by saying he disputed those findings, due to the level of injuries suffered by the boy.

Hammond testified that he found medicine droppers, along with bottles of cold and allergy medication, Children’s Advil, and teething tablets.

Three former neighbors of Peters and Dean were called to testify. One claimed he heard a repeated thumping sound until nearly midnight the night of November 14, and the man said he heard a loud pickup truck pulling away a short time later. The man’s wife also testified that she believed she heard Peters leave in his truck, which had a loud exhaust.

Attorneys for both sides opened Tuesday’s session by giving a preview of evidence. Van Wert County Prosecutor Eva Yarger said she and special counsel Juergen Waldick would prove that Peters fatally beat the boy, while Kluge told jurors they would hear contrasting accounts of what really happened.

Testimony is expected to end late Thursday afternoon or Friday morning, with deliberations to follow.

POSTED: 09/20/17 at 6:28 am. FILED UNDER: News