Accused murderer waives time for robbery

Published 5:15 am Sunday, November 25, 2012

An Ironton woman accused of murder waived her right to a speedy trial for the second time Wednesday in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

Ashley Seagraves, 23, who is listed as homeless, waived time for charges of first-degree aggravated burglary and third-degree tampering with evidence. Seagraves pleaded not guilty to the charges in September.

A Lawrence County Grand Jury indicted Seagraves in late August for the charges, which Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Brigham Anderson said at the time are connected to the murder of Elizabeth Township resident Delmar Jenkins. Seagraves allegedly took a safe from Jenkins’ home.

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Seagraves was charged with Jenkins’ murder in June. She allegedly shot and killed the 53-year-old man in his home while he slept.

Seagraves was later charged with two counts of felonious assault after she allegedly attacked a jail matron while incarcerated on the murder charges.

Seagraves allegedly used an item she fashioned into a sharp weapon and attacked the jail matron. Seagraves also allegedly tried to choke that matron.

Mental evaluations that stated Seagraves was competent at the time of the murder and that she is competent to stand trial were submitted into evidence in August.

With the initial charges, Seagraves faces 18 years to life if convicted. With the new charges, Anderson said she faces a sentence of 38 years to life if convicted and if all sentences run concurrently.

Seagraves remains in jail on a $1 million cash bond. Judge Charles Cooper set a pretrial for Sept. 19.

In other cases:

• Donna Wicker, 50, of 3714, County Road 21, Ironton, was arraigned on a bill of information of third-degree theft. Wicker pleaded not guilty through attorney Warren Morford.

Cooper continued bond from a lower court and set a pretrial for Dec. 12.

• Beverly Maynard, 49, of 1035 County Road 1 Apt. 228, South Point, was arraigned on a count of complicity to aggravated robbery. Maynard pleaded not guilty through attorney Philip Heald.

Cooper set bond at $75,000 own-recognizance and set a pretrial for Dec. 12.

• Joshua Tackett, 33, of 19000 West Highway 60, Olive Hill, Ky., was sentenced on a count of tampering with evidence. Tackett previously pleaded guilty to the charge.

Judge D. Scott Bowling sentenced the man to four years community controlled sanctions under intensive supervised probation, 200 hours community service and a $500 fine.

• William Howell, 37, of 2437 S. Tenth St., Ironton, admitted a CCS violation of failure to report and testing positive to drugs. Bowling sentenced the man to six months in prison.