Two Marion County murder trials scheduled to begin in April

Andrew Carter, Marion Star
·4 min read
Chadwick A. Greenawalt, age 44, Marion, is accused of stabbing and killing a woman during an altercation at the River Bend Family Campground on Sunday, July 3, 2022. He is scheduled to go to trial on Monday, April 10. The trial is expected to last four days in common pleas court. Judge Matthew P. Frericks is presiding over the case. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, March 17.

Two of the three murder cases on the docket in Marion County Common Pleas Court are scheduled to go to trial in April.

All three cases stem from incidents that occurred in 2022. Two of the three cases involve fatal shootings allegedly committed by local teens.

Chadwick A. Greenawalt, Sr., age 44, Marion, is scheduled to go to trial on Monday, April 10. The trial is expected to last four days in common pleas court. Judge Matthew P. Frericks is presiding over the case. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Friday, March 17.

Greenawalt is accused of stabbing Natalie H. Rudd, age 42, Marion, during an altercation that was reported to 911 dispatchers at 2:33 a.m. on Sunday, July 3, 2022, at River Bend Family Campground, 1092 Whetstone River Road South, near Caledonia, according to investigators from the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Rudd later died from the wounds she suffered.

No knife was recovered at the campground or in Greenawalt's possession when he was later stopped by law enforcement.

According to online records from the Marion County Common Pleas Court, the grand jury indictment issued on July 6, 2022, includes the following charges against Greenawalt: two counts of murder, unspecified felony; two counts of involuntary manslaughter, both first-degree felonies; one count of voluntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony; and two counts of felonious assault, both second-degree felonies.

Judge Frericks granted a prosecution motion requesting that bond be denied for Greenawalt during a hearing held July 14, 2022. Greenawalt remains incarcerated at the Multi-County Correctional Center in Marion.

Greenwalt was originally scheduled to go to trial last October, but a continuance was granted and the trial was rescheduled for mid-November. A second continuance was granted pushing the trial date to April of this year.

Attorney Joel M. Spitzer is representing Greenwalt.

Marquis Adams, left, and his attorney Joel Spitzer await the start of a bond hearing on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Marion County Common Pleas Court. Adams is accused of shooting and killing Jamear Douglas during an altercation on Aug. 20, 2022, that stemmed from an argument between the two over who was the "better rapper," according to authorities. Adams is being held without bond throughout the duration of his trial in Marion County Common Pleas Court.

Marquis Adams, age 18, Marion, is scheduled to go to trial on Monday, April 24. The trial is expected to last five days. Judge Matthew P. Frericks is presiding over the case in common pleas court. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 17.

Adams has been charged with three counts of murder, unspecified felonies, and two counts of felonious assault, second-degree felonies, for allegedly shooting and killing 17-year-old Jamear Douglas during an altercation that occurred early on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022, outside a residence in the 500 block of Adams Street. Marion County Prosecutor Ray Grogan said the altercation between the two teens was about who was the "better rapper."

Each charge carries with it a three-year firearms specification. The Marion County grand jury issued the indictment on the charges on Nov. 16, 2022.

During the bond hearing for Adams held Feb. 3 in Marion County Common Pleas Court, Major Chris Adkins of the Marion Police Department provided testimony on behalf of the prosecution. Adkins stated that the autopsy report revealed that Douglas had been shot six times.

Gunshot wounds were found on Douglas' "right ear," "interior left upper chest," "interior right chest," "interior lower chest," and in each of his forearms, according to the autopsy report from which Adkins quoted.

A motion was filed on Jan. 25 seeking to have Adams held without bond throughout the duration of the trial. After hearing testimony on Feb. 3, Judge Matthew P. Frericks ruled in favor of the prosecution motion. Adams remains incarcerated at the Multi-County Correctional Center in Marion.

Attorney Joel M. Spitzer is representing Adams.

Capital murder trial set for May

The third murder case on the docket in Marion County Common Pleas Court is a capital murder case.

Christian Gutierrez, age 19, Marion, is accused of shooting and killing Charles A. Feliciano, age 27, Marion, during an incident that occurred on the afternoon of Wednesday, March 9, 2022, in a parking lot located in the 100 block of London Street, according to a report provided by the Marion Police Department.

The case is scheduled to go to trial on Thursday, May 18 with Judge Warren T. Edwards presiding. The next pretrial hearing in the case is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Monday, March 20.

Gutierrez was indicted on two counts of aggravated murder, unspecified felonies; three counts of murder, unspecified felonies; two counts of felonious assault, second-degree felonies; and one count of kidnapping, a first-degree felony. The first count of aggravated murder carries a felony murder specification. All of the charges carry a 3-year firearm specification.

Gutierrez has pleaded not guilty to all charges in the case. He remains incarcerated at the Multi-County Correctional Center after bond was denied in the case.

Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Two Marion County murder trials scheduled to begin in April