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Norris
A Hillsboro woman charged with murder was among 11 people indicted Tuesday by a Highland County grand jury.
Melissa Norris, 40, was indicted for murder, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence related to the fatal shooting of John W. Norris, 53, of Hillsboro, on March 11, 2023.
The Hillsboro Police Department said that at 2:39 p.m. March 11 it responded to a 911 call to 801 Treewood Drive, Apartment No. 6, on Northwest Street. Hillsboro Police Chief Eric Daniels previously said that the exact nature of the call was being withheld.
Upon officers’ arrival, it was determined that John W. Norris had suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
Melissa Norris was taken into custody and was being held on separate charges in the Highland County jail until Tuesday.
The police department requested assistance from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Bureau of Criminal Investigation for crime scene processing. The Highland County Prosecuting Attorney provided direct assistance during the preliminary investigation, Daniels said.
In other indictments:
Gary Lee Pettiford, of Greenfield, was indicted on two counts of rape of a victim under the age of 13, both first-degree felonies.
Zachary E. Harcourt, 28, of Hillsboro, was indicted for receiving stolen property — a 1998 Honda Accord — a fourth-degree felony.
Bentley C. Penwell, 40, of Hillsboro, was indicted for aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
Christopher T. Colvin, 58, of Hillsboro, was indicted for four counts of assault on a peace officer, all fourth-degree felonies; one count of intimidation, a third-degree felony; one count of retaliation, a third-degree felony; 10 counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, all fourth-degree felonies; and 10 counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, all fifth-degree felonies.
Daniel L. Butcher, 39, of Cincinnati, was indicted for possession of drugs (buprenorphine), a fifth degree felony. Butcher has been previously convicted of trafficking heroin in the vicinity of a school zone, a fourth-degree felony.
Austin Gilroy, 30, of Greenfield, was indicted for two counts of domestic violence, both third-degree felonies. Gilroy has been previously convicted of domestic violence in Auglaize County in 2012 and Allen County in 2014.
Joshua Queen, 32, of South Salem, was indicted for aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
Kelsey Burns, 22, of Hillsboro, was indicted for illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility, a third-degree felony. The substance was a fentanyl-related compound adding a fifth-degree felony to the indictment.
Samuel Holaday, 28, of Hillsboro, was indicted for aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.
Ryan M. Lacalameto, 49, of Cincinnati, was indicted for receiving stolen property — a 2022 Ford F-450 truck — a fourth-degree felony.
Brandy L. Moore, 30, of Williamsburg, was indicted for failure to appear in Highland County Common Pleas Court in connection with a charge of the commission of a felony, a fourth-degree felony.
Reach John Hackley at 937-402-2571.