April 13, 2010

Sheriff Thomas G. Maurer announced that deputies have arrested a Burbank man for a string of daytime burglaries.

Luke D. Rufener, age 21, of Burbank was arrested Monday afternoon after deputies responded to reports of residential burglaries in Milton Township.  While processing the scene of a burglary on Doylestown Road, a deputy received a second call advising of a burglary in progress nearby.

A citizen called 911 and reported that a man had just made entry into a neighbor’s home.  The caller stated that the residents were not at home.

The deputy responded to the scene of the second burglary and spoke to a witness, who provided information that led to the identification of Rufener as the suspect.

Deputies then located Rufener at his home in Burbank.  Rufener was found to be in possession of property stolen from several homes.  Rufener was then arrested and transported to the Wayne County Jail.

When interviewed, Rufener admitted to burglarizing four homes in Wayne County, as well as a home in Medina County.

Sheriff Maurer stated, “These burglaries were solved as a result of neighbors looking out for each other and caring enough to become involved.  In addition, the quick work of the deputies resulted in an arrest within an hour after the crimes were committed.”

March 11, 2010

DNA Test Reconfirms Killer’s Identity in 1981 Murder
Cordray and local officials bring resolution for family of murdered girl

(WOOSTER, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray today joined Wayne County Sheriff Thomas Maurer and Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Martin Frantz to announce the results of DNA testing recently completed in connection with the 1981 murder of 12 year-old Tina Harmon. Testing performed by Cordray and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) on evidence submitted by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office has yielded a positive result reconfirming that suspect Robert Buell was responsible for Harmon’s rape and murder.

“BCI is focused on assisting local law enforcement and in this case I’m pleased that our 21^st-century technology is also providing needed resolution for Tina Harmon’s family and community,” said Attorney General Cordray. “This is another example of the difference that today’s smart investigative tools can make in cases that are either unsolved or re-examined.”

Sheriff Maurer announced last year that his office intended to work with BCI to re-examine evidence from the 1981 murder of the Creston, Ohio girl. Technology available at the time of the crime implicated Robert Buell as the killer. Recent DNA tests matched the perpetrator’s DNA to Buell with only a 1 in 96 trillion chance of a coincidental match.

“I am pleased that we can take evidence from the past that was obtained, secured and stored in evidence over 28 years ago, have it analyzed by BCI using today's technology and be able to confirm completely for the Harmon family that Robert Buell was responsible for this horrific crime,” said Sheriff Maurer. “I have personally met with members of Tina Harmon's family to report to them the results of this testing.  When they came to me in December 2008, I promised to review this case and try to give them a final answer as to who was responsible for the death of Tina. Today the investigation in the death of Tina Harmon has been closed.”

Buell was tried and convicted for the 1982 murder of another girl, 11 year-old Krista Harrison, also of Wayne County. Fibers from the Harrison and Harmon cases matched and investigators concluded in the 1980s that Buell was responsible for both crimes. Buell’s death sentence for his conviction in the Harrison case was carried out in 2002. In recent years, the Harmon family inquired as to whether new technology might erase any lingering doubts.

Prosecuting Attorney Frantz, who tried the Harrison case, agreed to the testing. “It is no surprise that Robert Buell is now positively linked to the rape and murder of 12-year-old Tina, who was abducted near her Creston home in October 1981,” said Frantz. “All the evidence in the recently re-opened investigation, including DNA testing, demonstrates that Buell almost certainly acted alone, as he did in similar crimes of which he was convicted. This office considers the case closed. I hope that the Creston community and the family of Tina Harmon find some comfort in knowing for certain the identity of Tina's murderer.”

January 19, 2010

Today, Wayne County Sheriff Thomas G. Maurer stated that he has filed an affidavit in Wayne County Common Pleas Court concerning the recent award to the labor organization representing the sheriff's deputies.  In the affidavit, the sheriff notes:

• He is the duly elected Sheriff of Wayne County, Ohio

• As Sheriff, he is the "appointing authority" over the employees in the Office of Sheriff

• As the appointing authority, he is the sole and exclusive "public employer" for the purposes of negotiating collective bargaining agreements with the employees

• As the sole and exclusive Public Employer, he has engaged in collective bargaining negotiations with the Ohio Patrolman's Benevolent Association, which negotiations had proceeded to "conciliation", and involuntary, statutorily imposed form of binding arbitration

• At the conciliation hearing, he had, through his representative, argued that his office budget was insufficient to support the wage increases being sought by the Union

• Conciliator Zeiser issued a conciliation award on November 9, 2009, granting the Union's wage package of 3.5% in each of the years of the new contract, including retroactivity; increased longevity, and rank differential

• Conciliator Zeiser, in his award, did not limit his inquiry to the budget of the Office of Sheriff; but rather looked at the entire county's ability to finance a wage increase through incurring debt or raising taxes

• Following the issuance of that award, he asked the Board of Commissioners for sufficient additional funds to cover the additional cost of the award

• His request was denied

• If made to follow the conciliator's award, he will have to lay off deputies and curtail law enforcement services to the county; thereby incurring irreparable harm to his office, the county, and its residents.

Further, the sheriff indicated that he is pursuing an order requesting that  "motion to stay" be placed on the application.  This is asking that the award be temporarily set aside until the courts have had a chance to review all documentation from this filing.  Maurer states that the resolve of this issue may not come for several months.

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