In Ohio not on your sides Jay Warren was there as a mother pleaded for her son’s life teenager who was about to begin a career in the military an autopsy just finished up we’ve learned where investigators found the body mother said that she doesn’t want him to be remembered as a victim they plan to set up a foundation to help other kids and keep his memory alive that’s all I’m asking for there’s a chance for me to become a better person but again it’s set at the same time because this could have been prevented
Austin Mavis choice I’m asking you not to do this to my brothers and my sisters be a clean and neat murder that’s the testimony today from one of the two teenagers accused of killing Justin back Austin Myers a 19 year old committed such a gruesome crime that people could not even fathom what had happened the only way to serve Justice was to sentence him to his demise let’s dive into this case the chilling scene in a chilling tale that gripped the nation tragedy struck the quiet town of Waynesville Warren County Ohio on that fateful day of
January 28 2014. the life of 18 year old Justin Michael back was brutally extinguished leaving a community shattered and a family forever scarred by an unspeakable act of violence but what unfolded in the aftermath of this heinous crime would send shockwaves through the nation as the true depths of darkness and Injustice were unveiled about three minutes occasionally looking down at its notes he began by addressing the victim’s parents Supreme Court puts an execution date on hold for the state’s youngest death row inmate
19-year-old Austin Myers killed near a bridge also today I got my hands on these newly released documents from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office enter the names Austin Gregory Myers and Timothy E Mosley two individuals whose Souls were tainted by malevolence and greed in a Twisted plot they conspired to invade Bach’s family home driven by a Sinister motive to pill for a safe an emblem of precious secrets and valuable Treasures little did they know that their insatiable thirst for material gain would plunge them into wickedness one
that would forever haunt the country uh Justin was trying to ask ask us why he was playing the stop in Ohio not on your sides Jay Warren was there as a mother pleaded for her son’s life to comment today Justin’s mother says she wants her son to be remembered as an innocent young man the background Myers and back were buddies during Middle School sharing laughter and Mischief in 7th and 8th grade back a graduate of Waynesville High School in 2013 stood on the verge of a bright future as he prepared to join the Navy
but little did he know that tragedy lurked in the shadows waiting to shatter his dreams one day Myers approached Mosley with an intriguing proposition a chance to make some quick cash Mosley was enticed and they pondered their targets should they rob a drug dealer or back’s stepfather Mark Cates Myers knew that Cates had a safe in their family home safeguarding both money and a firearm in Meyer’s mind the safe held a Fortune of twenty thousand dollars fueled by their desire for wealth they set their sights on Bax residence in
Waynesville intending to seize the contents of the safe however their plans quickly shifted when they were discovered that buck was home fearing the potential consequences they aborted the mission as they retreated a Sinister idea began to take shape major who was about to begin a career in the military an autopsy just finished up we’ve learned where investigators found the body and Mike Austin Myers had another judge bear his life Myers driven by Twisted thoughts conceived a dreadful notion to eliminate back in his Twisted
logic this act would not only silence their friend but also provide them with a convenient cover Story the plan unfolded with Myers envisioning a gruesome end for back strangling him with a wire with their friend’s life extinguished Myers and Mosley could stage a scene making it appear as if back had stolen the safe and vanished Into Thin Air to perform their Sinister plan Myers acquired a three-foot steel cable and two metal rope cleats the tools of their wicked trade would serve as the instruments of Bax demise assembling the
Garrett a Contraption to choke the life out of their friend they set the stage for the following day when darkness would descend and their heinous act would be Unleashed upon the world create No Mess uh pretty much be easier job to handle mother said that she doesn’t want him to be remembered as a victim they plan to set up a foundation to help other kids and keep his memory alive well guys for the first time the jury heard from Austin Myers himself he spoke to them for about three minutes but I’m sorry I wish I could go back in time and stop
this the tragic slaying on the dark morning of January 28 2014 Myers and Mosley went on a haunting shopping spree packing up on some Sinister supplies they acquired septic enzymes ammonia septic tank cleanser and rubber gloves a collection that would soon serve prominent and back’s last moments with their Sinister purchases in hand they left on a journey that would forever alter the course of their lives and others the Clock Struck 1 pm as they arrived at Bax residence a place that would soon become the backdrop of a
nightmare scene their plan was set in motion the unsuspecting Myers would divert back’s attention providing the opportunity for Mosley to unleash the deadly Garrett upon their friend clad in rubber gloves their intentions veiled in Shadow Mosley armed himself not only with the Garrett but also a six-inch pocket knife an object that would soon spill blood a knock on the door reverberated through the house and back unaware of the horrors about to unfold welcomed his childhood companions into the sanctuary of his family home as the trio engaged
in casual conversation the tension hung heavy in the air each passing moment inching closer to the inevitable back unwittingly moving towards his fate ventured into the kitchen the opportune moment presented itself and Mosley struck attacking from behind attempting to suffocate his friend’s Life Away Myers complicit in the ACT joined the struggle grasping back from the front their combined efforts transforming the kitchen into a Battlefield a grave error dawned upon the frenzied scene a wire intended to encircle back’s
neck instead rested perilously across his chin Panic gripped Mosley and in a frenzied State he drew his knife from the Shadows plunging it into back’s defenseless form back a young Soul full of Promise met a tragic end pierced by the cruel sting of betrayal as back begged for his life Meyer simply told him it would be over soon in the wake of Bax demise the house echoed with the Frantic footsteps of the Slayers turned looters at the official sentencing this afternoon judge Oda heard from Myers as well as Justin Beck’s family documents
from the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and it provides a better timeline of how the crimes played out not he’ll ever tell me but if he ever wants to that’s fine I’m open to that send me a letter that’s fine 10 year old U.S Navy recruit good evening I’m Mike Darden and I’m Cherie paella with Austin Myers is sentenced to death the safe The elusive Treasure Trove of Secrets and wealth stood as an enigma before them its contents tantalizingly Out Of Reach locked in secrecy a discovery of Kate’s handgun made the young Slayers all the more
happy returning to the kitchen they attempted to conceal the evidence the acrid scent of ammonia filled the air A desperate attempt to erase the traces of their malevolence back’s lifeless body was swathed in a blanket concealed within the confines of Mosley’s car trunk a tragic cargo that would stay forever driven by greed they searched the house stealing everything they could like jewelry credit cards and even the remnants of back’s life clothing crammed into bags a cruel reminder of the stolen existence they loaded the car and
departed from the house the time marked ominously at 2PM leaving behind a silence in their wake while driving Mosley became paranoid about being followed so he took side roads to a remote area where he parked and checked outside the car for blood Meyer searched for back’s wallet which he located in one of the bags the wallet contained more than one hundred dollars which Myers took the two then drove back to Mosley’s house where they unloaded items from the car to Mosley’s bedroom together they dragged the safe up the
stairs and changed their clothes Mosley proposed dumping the body near West Alexandria as he knew the area well they decided to hide the body behind a log in a field near the village of Gratis in Preble County Mosley drove into the field stopping about 20 feet from the log the pair carried the body to the log and laid it on the ground Myers then poured ammonia and septic enzymes onto the corpse which was still clothed and partly wrapped in the blanket according to Mosley Myers wanted to shoot the body so Mosley got the stolen gun from the
car and handed it to Myers who fired Two Shots into back’s body the gun jammed on the third shot Myers cleared the jam ejecting the bullet to the ground where the police later found it after they hid the body Meyer suggested they slay Kate’s to make it look like he had slain back and disappeared deciding against it the men drove to a park in Brookville where Mosley tossed back’s laptop into a dumpster they bought a crowbar in Englewood and went back to Mosley’s house to crack open the safe instead of the twenty thousand dollars that Myers
had promised the safe contained some paperwork Loose Change bullets gun accessories and other random items Myers and Mosley separated items that they thought they could sell after word they burned the papers several trash bags containing evidence of the crime and their bloody clothes in a fire pit in the backyard Myers and Mosley put everything that looked valuable from the house and safe into a bag they then drove to tip City where they threw Kate’s safe into a river but again it sat at the same time because this could have been prevented
Austin Mavis choice Austin could have stopped it but tells Justin it’s okay it’s almost over I’m asking you for is a chance for me to become a better person that if we dismissed all charges against him that he wouldn’t sue me for wrongful imprisonment help stop tragedies like this from happening to go get his gun out of Pawn in Dayton and use that gun as well as the one they stole from Mark Cates a troubling investigation Cates came home from work around 3 30 PM realizing that a table had been moved and some rugs were missing later he and
his wife found his safe and his handgun missing they called the police and tried to contact back but discovered his cell phone had been left inside the house during the investigation officers described a car that had been seen outside Beck’s home it had a distinctive missing back window covered in plastic and red tape Cates told police that Myers had visited their home the day before in that same car Warren County Sheriff’s detectives searched for Myers and the suspicious vehicle the car was located by Clayton police who detained
Myers and Mosley’s house and notified the Warren County detectives detectives interviewed Myers at Clayton police station on January 29. Myers denied knowing anything about Bach’s disappearance or the burglary at back’s home after the interview Myers was taken back to Mosley’s house and Mosley was taken to the station for questioning when the detectives finished talking with Mosley he was returned to his house also based on what they learned the detectives had Clayton police officers arrest Mosley and Myers and return them
to the station the detectives again interviewed Mosley and then Myers Myers eventually admitted that he had been present when Mosley knifed back he said that when he had gone to hang out with back on January 28 he did not know that Mosley was going to slay back nor did he know why Mosley had slain back Myers denied shooting back’s body claiming that Mosley had done that instead in adjacent holding cells Mosley overheard Myers implicating him alone for the slang when the detectives interviewed Mosley he confessed to the
crime but implicated Myers in planning the burglary following Mosley’s confession the detectives interviewed Myers again who changed his story this time he admitted shooting the body in a foolish attempt at misdirection and acknowledged buying the materials to make the Garrett and other things like ammonia and septic tank finished up we’ve learned where investigators found the body and police gave insight into how they made the arrest so fast I’m sorry that this happened I know that doesn’t bring Justin back I had enough time
a lot of good things I can do with my life if you allow me to keep my life he continued to deny that he had restrained back during the sling insisting he was not even aware he was being knifed at the time but merely punched claiming he was left in a State of Shock and disbelief on seeing all the blood the same day Preble County sheriff’s deputies found Beck’s body after getting approximate directions from Myers a Montgomery County coroner autopsy determined that back had perished of multiple severe knife wounds
it’s only going to hurt more innocent people you kill me they won’t fix anything I don’t want to hurt people I’m not asking you to to lose your son I can’t imagine to lose your brother sentence 19 year old Austin Myers to death he is now the youngest person on death row in Ohio difficult testimony to hear today Timothy Mosley testified that some of Justin back’s last words were why trial and sentencing Myers was indicted in February 2014 on one count of aggravated slang with prior calculation and design and one count of
aggravated slang both counts were accompanied by three capital penalty specifications Myers was further indicted for aggravated robbery aggravated burglary grand theft of a firearm and harming a corpse all within accompanying firearm specification and kidnapping tampering with evidence and safe cracking Mosley was indicted on similar charges to go through such pain and suffering as this demise showed no emotion as the death sentence was imposed in fact he showed no emotion throughout the entire course of the trial I would just hope that
every time you close your eyes at night you see my just my son Justin be it clean and neat murder that’s the testimony today from one of the two teenagers accused of killing Justin back however a week before Meyer’s jury trial Mosley reached a plea agreement in which he agreed to testify against Myers Mosley pled guilty to all charges in exchange for the dismissal of the penalty specifications he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole the guilt phase of Meyer’s jury trial commenced on September 22 2014. on
October 2 2014 the jury found Meyers guilty on all counts and specifications the two aggravated slaying counts were merged for purposes of sentencing the state elected to proceed on the prior calculation and design aggravated slaying count with the aggravated robbery specification the penalty phase of the jury trial was held on October 6 2014.
Myers presented the testimony of his parents and a sibling and made an unsworn statement by way of mitigation Myers had no prior criminal history or delinquency adjudications the jury recommended the capital sentence on October 16 2014 the trial court sentenced Myers to his demise and imposed prison punishment on the non-capital counts Meyer’s conviction and his fatal sentence were subsequently upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court State versus Myers this before it even happened camp hey if you could have changed her mind many times but you didn’t
send me a letter that’s fine Justin back was just 10 days away from going into the Navy when he was killed this past January have caused more than enough pain already I’m back only going to hurt more innocent people if you kill me it won’t fix anything Appeals post-conviction on November 10 2016 while waiting for a decision from the Supreme Court Meyers submitted a request for post-conviction Relief presenting 60 reasons for relief what exactly is post-conviction relief you might ask well post-conviction relief refers to Legal remedies or
procedures available to individuals who have been convicted of a crime and exhausted their direct appeals it provides an opportunity for convicted individuals to challenge their conviction or sentence based on constitutional violations new evidence or errors that may have occurred during the trial or appeal process the purpose of post-conviction relief is to ensure that individuals have a fair chance to present new information or raise issues that were not previously addressed during their trial or appeals it allows
them to seek remedies such as a new trial modification of their sentence or correction of errors that may have affected their conviction yeah what’s your name Austin Myers Austin is there something that you would like to say to the ladies and Gentlemen Just random random items my mom and my dad my brother’s Bryce and Josh over there just 10 days away from going into the Navy when he was killed today his mother said that she doesn’t want him to be remembered Cami the people that I love person and Sage my sisters
Alex and Jenna post-conviction relief typically involves filing a petition or motion with the court that handled the original trial or appeal the specific procedures and grounds for Relief may vary depending on the jurisdiction and legal system Common Grounds for seeking post-conviction relief include ineffective assistance of counsel newly discovered evidence violation of constitutional rights prosecutorial misconduct or errors in the application of the law it’s important to note here that post-conviction relief is distinct from
direct appeals which focus on errors or issues that occurred during the trial or sentencing phase post-conviction relief provides an additional opportunity to challenge the conviction or sentence based on matters that may have Arisen after the conclusion of the direct appeal process well Meyer’s request for post-conviction Relief challenged the constitutionality of the capital punishment and the Ohio laws governing its use Myers argued that his lawyers did not provide effective assistance during the trial both improving his
guilt and in the penalty phase he also claimed that his due process rights were violated on November 18 2016 Myers asked for permission to conduct further investigations to support his post-conviction relief request in 2017 the state responded to the request and then filed a motion for summary judgment in January 2018 the trial court established a schedule allowing Myers to submit a supplemental request for investigation by March 1 2018.
the court also postponed ruling on the state’s summary judgment motion until Myers Discovery request was resolved I can only imagine the pain and loss felt by Mark and Sandy Cates choose for me to die it’s only going to cause more pain and suffering I heard more innocent people I’m asking you not to do this to my brothers and my sisters back Justin’s brother I have brothers and sisters myself Justin was trying to put up a fight and just he wasn’t overpowering us Ohio and capital punishment Ohio has a long history with capital punishment with
laws governing capital punishment dating back to the early 19th century over the years these laws have evolved reflecting societal attitudes and legal developments the first recorded fatal punishment in Ohio took place in 1803 and until 1885 the state relied on hanging as the primary method of punishing in 1885 Ohio transitioned to the electric chair becoming the first state to adopt this method however concerns about the constitutionality and humaneness of electrocution led to changes in the protocol in 1972 the United States Supreme
Court’s ruling in Furman vs Georgia effectively suspended the capital punishment Nationwide deeming existing statutes unconstitutional Ohio responded by enacting a new capital penalty law in 1981 which aimed to address the concerns raised by the court Ohio’s current fatal penalty statute provides for capital punishment in cases involving aggravated slang such as the one Myers is convicted in aggravating factors such as multiple victims the commission of heinous crimes or slaying related to specific offenses can make a
defendant eligible for the capital penalty the process of imposing the capital penalty in Ohio involves several stages just like in any other state first the defendant is indicted and stands trial for aggravated slang if found guilty a separate penalty phase follows where the jury determines if the capital penalty is appropriate during this phase mitigating factors presented by the defense can be considered Ohio utilizes lethal injection as the primary method however due to challenges with procuring drugs the state has faced
legal and logistical hurdles in carrying out such punishments in response alternative methods such as electrocution or firing squad are permitted if lethal injection becomes impractical or unavailable Ohio’s capital punishment system has faced significant scrutiny and controversy concerns have been raised about wrongful convictions inadequate legal representation racial disparities and the arbitrary application of the penalty high-profile cases including instances of individuals being exonerated after years on the row have intensified
debates surrounding its fairness and reliability back Justin’s brother I have brothers and sisters myself if you choose for me to die a little felt like you hit bone right in and out really I had enough time I don’t feel anything it’s gonna hurt more innocent people I can only imagine what it’d be like to lose one of them in response to these concerns Ohio has implemented various reforms to address issues within its system these reforms include improvements in the quality of legal representation the establishment
of the Ohio public defender commission and the creation of a Statewide system for Indigent defense currently as of 2023 Ohio has an unofficial moratorium on capital punishment after GOP Governor Mike dewine instructed lawmakers to find an alternative method to lethal injection citing the state’s inability to obtain the needed drugs he has delayed several fatal punishments since the state’s last punishment was July 18 2018 when Ohio put down Robert Van Hook for slaying David Self in Cincinnati in 1985. Ohio currently has 134 people on
the row according to the non-profit penalty information center right now a dozen state senators are banding together to abolish the capital penalty in Ohio altogether it is unclear if they’ll Garner enough support to end it the first major hurdle is Senate President Matt Huffman who opposes ending the capital punishment however Hoffman said he would hold a vote on the bill if a majority of the 33-member Senate wanted it the effort to end the capital penalty is a familiar one for state senator Nikki Antonio she has sponsored abolition bills every
session for the past Dozen Years recently in a news conference Antonio said I believe it’s indeed time for the state of Ohio to take the pragmatic economically prudent principled step to end capital punishment which has been found to be expensive impractical unjust inhumane and in the past even erroneous Antonio said that every year she introduces the abolition Bill she has more bipartisan support this time she’s starting out with five Republican and seven Democratic co-sponsors state senator Steve Huffman and Michelle
Reynolds both said their religious Faith spurred them to join Antonio’s effort the bill would replace capital punishment sentences with life in prison without parole if passed it could change the game for Austin Myers entirely he could be spared the capital punishment and instead get life in prison if not Myers would be the youngest individual to be put down in Ohio’s history I’m asking you not to do this to my brothers and my sisters who love me do say to the ladies and gentlemen on the jury yes go ahead more pain and suffering
for another family he told me about the Justin’s house and his stepdad further Appeals on March 1 2018 Meyer submitted a supplemental request for investigations arguing that he had the right to conduct them based on the recently amended RC 2953.21 effective since April 6 2017. the updated statute introduced significant changes regarding post-conviction relief requests in cases involving capital punishment it allowed individuals facing capital punishment to obtain necessary information through investigations if they demonstrated good
cause on July 3 2018 the trial court rejected Meyer’s request for investigations the court stated that the amended RC did not explicitly State its retroactive application alternatively even if the retroactive application was allowed the court found that Myers had not shown good cause to conduct the investigations on November 26 2018 Meyer submitted a written response opposing the state’s motion for summary judgment the response included 12 additional documents such as affidavits transcripts and other evidence this triggered further filings
from both parties however the trial court never made a decision on the state’s motion for summary judgment instead on June 27 2019 the trial court denied Meyer’s post-conviction relief request without holding a hearing the court determined that Meyer’s claims were either previously settled or lacked sufficient factual basis to support relief and thus no hearing was necessary Myers then sought to appeal the trial Court’s denial of his post-conviction relief request and Discovery motions he raised 11 assignments of error to
support his appeal in 2021 it was found out that changes in the state law led to the 12th District Court of Appeals decision that the trial court aired in dismissing Meyer’s petition that claimed his defense failed to present expert testimony during the penalty phase on adolescent brain development in conjunction with his age and mental health issues rest and back oh obviously Justin was trying to put up a fight and not me send me a letter that’s fine Justin back was just 10 days away from going into the Navy when he was killed
my mom and my dad my brother’s Bryce and Josh over there the terrible events this past January they’ve caused more than enough pain already helped stop tragedies like this from happening Warren County prosecutor David thornshell said there has been substantial modification to the statute about appeals in the last years so in many ways this issue is kind of a matter of first impression on how to deal with these issues since the statute changed he said the scope is very limited to Discovery issues relating to youthful
brain development and of those specific issues should have been more a part of the mitigation phase foreign shell said it is difficult with reviewing cases for anyone to know all the evidence considered by defense counsel and for what reasons he further said his office was considering appealing the decision to the Supreme Court to provide some clarity so Myers’s case would once again be heard in the Supreme Court the age controversy the controversial question of whether a 19 year old should be given the capital penalty for a sling
is a deeply complex and emotionally charged topic that Sparks intense debate among legal Scholars policymakers and society as a whole the issue revolves around the age at which individuals should be held accountable for their actions and the appropriate level of punishment they should face we have to consider in this discussion the concept of Developmental maturity adolescence is a period of significant cognitive emotional and social growth and it is widely recognized that individuals in their late teens are
still in the process of forming their identities and grappling with complex moral and ethical questions research in the field of Neuroscience has shown that the human brain continues to develop well into the early 20s particularly in areas associated with decision making impulse control and risk assessment Sage to my sisters Alex and Jenna obviously Justin was trying to put up a fight and what do you tell you what he told me about Justin’s house and his stepdad saying he has the same I ask you not to spread this pain
I don’t want to hurt people I’m not asking you to spare my life so I can hurt us and back it’s only going to hurt more innocent people you kill me they won’t fix anything this past January they’ve caused more than enough pain already these findings raise questions about the extent to which 19 year olds possess the same level of cognitive and emotional maturity as adults and whether they should be held to the same standard of culpability proponents of not imposing the capital penalty on 19 year olds argue that juveniles and young adults are more
susceptible to external influences making them more responsive to Rehabilitation and reform efforts they contend that factors such as upbringing social environment and peer pressure can significantly impact an individual’s behavior and that young offenders May possess a greater capacity for Change and growth compared to their older counterparts by focusing on Rehabilitation rather than retribution Society can provide opportunities for personal transformation and ensure a safer and more just future international human rights standards
recognize the significance of age in criminal justice the United Nations convention on the rights of the child and subsequent International treaties prohibit the Fatal punishment of individuals who committed offenses while under the age of 18. these legal Frameworks emphasize the need for age-appropriate treatment recognizing that young offenders require specialized interventions that promote their well-being and address the underlying factors contributing to their criminal Behavior however proponents of applying the
capital penalty to 19 year olds argue that age alone should not be the sole determining factor in imposing the ultimate punishment they contend that certain crimes particularly heinous and premeditated slangs like the one Myers committed warrant the highest level of punishment regardless of the perpetrator’s age the assertion is that aids should not serve as a shield against accountability for grave offenses and that the severity of the crime should be the primary consideration in determining the appropriate penalty
in legal proceedings the consideration of mitigating factors is crucial when determining an appropriate sentence factors such as age background mental health and potential for rehabilitation are taken into account to ensure that sentencing aligns with the principles of proportionality and justice while the severity of the crime should be acknowledged it is essential to strike a balance between accountability and the recognition of an individual’s potential for Change and growth in recent years there has been a growing Trend towards
recognizing the inherent vulnerability of young adults and the need for age-responsive justice systems which is why Myers actually has a shot at avoiding capital punishment some jurisdictions have implemented policies that aim to differentiate the treatment of young adult offenders from older adults offering specialized programs and services tailored to their developmental needs these approaches acknowledge the potential for rehabilitation and seek to prevent young offenders from becoming further entrenched in a life of crime we also
have to consider the fact that empirical evidence has demonstrated the potential for successful Rehabilitation among young offenders Studies have shown that the brain’s plasticity and the capacity for change are particularly pronounced during adolescence and early adulthood by providing comprehensive rehabilitation programs that address the root causes of criminal Behavior Society can not only promote individual transformation but also Foster safer communities and reduce recidivism rates ask ask us why he was playing to stop
and pretty much begging for his life today his mother said that she doesn’t want him to be remembered as a victim they plan to set up a foundation to help other kids it’s only going to hurt more innocent people bear my life so I can hurt anyone I want to help people Justin was trying to put up a fight and just he wasn’t overpowering us back Justin’s brother I have brothers and sisters myself I had enough time I can only imagine what it’d be like to lose one of them family in the aftermath on January 28 2014 Darkness unexpectedly
and violently entered the back family’s life when their 18 year old boy Justin was slain Justin Bach’s Mother Catherine is a lady of iron she continued to fight for just in even years after his demise going into every hearing making sure that Meyer would not Escape Justice simply because he was young at the time of the attack Justin’s mother was shocked by what had happened she lost her beloved Son over a robbery that amounted to nothing he had been taken from her for no reason at all only the selfishness and wickedness of
two boys while Meyer’s lawyers tried to argue that due to his age Meyer should be spared the capital punishment Catherine was there every step of the way to fight back and tell them that this was no accident Myers had chosen Justin he had chosen to slay him even after Justin had befriended him when they were younger and tried to help him through tough times since his demise Kate’s and her family have started an annual 5K run in back’s name where they raise money for scholarships they have also started a Pay It Forward for Justin
campaign where they have been asking people to do something nice in his honor Justin’s step-sister Lexi has done her best to bring some goodness out of an incident filled with so much violence and pain attempting to kill him in the lines of it’s all right um it’s almost over Cami the people that I love this past January have caused more than enough pain already that’s all I’m asking for is a chance for me to become a better person just 10 days away from going into the Navy when he was killed today his mother said that she doesn’t want him to be
remembered you kill me they won’t fix anything it won’t bring just 14 at the time Lexi heard the horrifying details at the trial in a Warren County courtroom Justin was almost garretted knifed 21 times and then shot after he was slain she sat through his funeral which came just 10 days before the Wayne Township man was supposed to have joined the U.
S Navy she sat through two jury trials of the young perpetrators Mosley and Myers Lexi said everything changed it was an eye-opening time for me you realize that you can’t take life for granted you can perish at any time and that’s how I see life now I hate that I have to see it that way but I do at Justin’s funeral when Lexi was looking at him in his open coffin it brought her Comfort to see that the funeral home staff had taken great care to make him look perfect she felt that he looked like himself in his navy suit
he looked beautiful and it was a comforting moment for her to see him look so peaceful after hearing of the horrible way he left this world that was when Lexi decided to become a mortician she began to research mortuary science and schools Lexi wanted to honor Justin’s memory she wanted to support families that were also going through something difficult like what they had just gone through in 2019 Lexi was working at Newcomer’s Funeral Home in Dayton she was pursuing an associate’s degree at Sinclair Community College in
Dayton and her goal was to get her associate’s degree then one in mortuary science she had a passion for making sure the lifeless members of a family received the respect and care they deserve Lexi plans to open her own funeral home it will be called the back funeral home and there will be a picture of Justin hanging in the foyer Lexi’s stepfather Mervin who is also Justin’s biological father said she had a strong desire I had always encouraged her as a child I told her that she could do anything she set her mind to do what makes her happy
and she followed that Mervin and Catherine were initially worried that it was to morbid a profession but they came around and they say they were proud of her her mother said it takes a special person to do that job it’s not an easy career nor easy to handle that lifestyle but Lexi is a pretty caring personality she will make life easier for other families Lexi is the example of someone who brought light from an incident that was shrouded by nothing but Despair and horror she is an angel like human determined to be a light for others who
need it and that’s the way Justin will be remembered someone who left a little bit of good in this world even when he was not here to do it himself that’s all for today’s video folks see you next time
