PARKERSBURG - Two verdicts were handed down Friday in the Wood County Circuit Court trial of Brent Michael Radabaugh.
After three days of deliberations, the jury found Radabaugh guilty of first-degree murder of Rebecca Hoyler in April 2010 in Parkersburg. After the verdict was read, Radabaugh, 34, of Belpre, passed out and his face hit the table in front of him.
In the mercy phase jurors decided Radabaugh would be eligible for parole. Under state law the sentence for a conviction for first-degree murder is life in prison with or without the possibility of parole.
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Brent Michael Radabaugh
Because the jurors decided Radabaugh will be allowed to be released, he will be eligible after he serves 15 years.
In testimony his father, mother, one brother and two sisters testified for Radabaugh to be granted the possibility of parole.
They all described him as an overall good person, tenderhearted, a good worker, good parent, a good son and brother and a good parent to his son.
Radabaugh's father, Ken Radabaugh, said when his son was working he was dependable but when he was unemployed or idled he would slip back into drug use. Radabaugh said he and Radabaugh's mother, Marjorie Newberry, divorced when he was 14.
Newberry said after the divorce she and the children moved to Parkersburg and he attended Parkersburg Christian School where he was on the basketball team. She said after that he went into a rebellious stage and began using marijuana at age 15. She said he began using crack cocaine after he graduated from high school and was admitted to a drug treatment program when he was 19 or 20 years old.
Wood County Prosecutor Jason Wharton questioned the parents regarding Radabaugh's criminal record in West Virginia and Ohio. Wharton said the murder conviction was not the first for Radabaugh.
According to court records he was convicted on a charge of transferring or receiving stolen property in Ohio, and in West Virginia he was convicted on misdemeanors for battery, shoplifting and violation of a protective order and parole violations in 1998, 2005 and 2006. He was incarcerated one time for a parole violation.
His sister, Rachel Radabaugh, said while she was reluctant to blame her parents, the divorce impacted him. She added she thought his suicide attempt was from low self-esteem and he was just trying to get away from all he was facing.
Radabaugh did not testify.
His attorney, George Cosenza, said Radabaugh was deserving of mercy.
"No life is beyond redemption," he said. "I believe he deserves another chance; if you do grant him mercy he will be eligible for parole in 15 years but that does not mean he will be released then."
Wharton asked the jurors to not grant Radabaugh mercy.
"He has been found guilty of first-degree murder and I ask you to look at his criminal record and sentencing orders," he said. "He has no remorse for what he did; don't grant him mercy."
Judge Jeffrey Reed set sentencing for 3 p.m. Oct. 29. He said motions in the case are to be filed by Sept. 14 and responses are to be filed by Oct. 5.
Radabaugh remains in custody at the North Central Regional Jail.
