Kimberly Fulton, 28, right and her son, Daniel Fulton, 17 months, were murdered May 5, 1995. (Photo Provided)

MARIETTA — After a two-week trial, a Waterford man was found guilty this week of four counts of aggravated murder and two counts of murder in the killing of a mother and her young son 30 years ago.

Scott Hickman, 53, was found guilty on all counts against him in the 1995 murders of Kimberly Fulton, 28, and her 17-month-old son Daniel. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 14.

After listening to dozens of witness testimonies and examining evidence in the courtroom of Washington County Common Pleas Judge Mark Kerenyi, the jury deliberated for about two hours after closing arguments on Wednesday, court officials said.

“You don’t drive somebody over to a mobile home with a gas can to have a party at 2:30 in the morning,” said Senior Assistant Attorney General Dan Kasaris during closing arguments. “The defendant’s conduct, his body language, and his words are why he’s guilty.”

The bodies of Kimberly and Daniel were found burned in their mobile home in Palmer Township on March 5, 1995. Further examination by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office revealed bruises and lack of carbon monoxide in both of the victims’ lungs which signified to detectives that their deaths weren’t the result of a house fire, according to testimony by investigators.

Scott Hickman, left, listens to testimony during his murder trial on Aug. 14 in Washington County Common Pleas Court as sheriff’s Detective Brian Schuck testifies. (Photo by Amber Phipps)

Hickman was arrested in connection to the crime in 1998, but later released due to a lack of evidence. The case went cold until it was re-examined in 2019 by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office cold-case detectives and the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Hickman was arrested and indicted in 2021 but found unable to stand trial in 2023 as a result of schizoaffective disorder. He was treated by Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare in Columbus before his trial, which began Aug. 5.

“By the defendant’s own words, he drove by the mobile home around 1 o’clock a.m., so the defendant doesn’t have an alibi,” said Kasaris.

Based on evidence and witness testimony from Washington County Sheriff’s Office detectives, the crime involved multiple people. Johnny Ball was confirmed as a “person of interest” by Washington County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Detective Jeff Seevers last year.

On May 15, 2024, Ball was indicted on five third degree felony counts of perjury and one third degree felony count of obstructing justice. His involvement in the murders remains under investigation.

In the closing statements Wednesday, Hickman’s attorney James Owens said the charges were based on inferences made in regard to the actions of another, uncharged suspect. He asked why these other men weren’t arrested for their potential involvement but Hickman was.

“Law enforcement went way out of their way to suggest that (Kimberly Fulton’s ex-husband) didn’t do it,” Owens said. “Because they show one window in his bedroom that couldn’t be opened, but I guess there just weren’t any doors in the house.”

Owens said he wasn’t suggesting the ex-husband, who was going through divorce proceedings with Kimberly at the time of the murders, was involved but that law enforcement didn’t consider he could’ve walked out the front door of his parents’ house that night without them noticing.

The prosecution suggested Hickman was working with another individual, who has not been charged, and was revealed by Washington County Child Support Enforcement Agency records to be Daniel’s biological father.

In his closing argument, Owens questioned this as a motive.

“A double homicide because he didn’t want to pay child support? Really?” said Owens.

According to testimony from sheriff’s Detective Bruce Schuck, Daniel’s father wanted excused from paying child support even after the murders.

“What does he do after Daniel’s dead? He goes to the court to have his name removed from the Washington County Child Support Enforcement Agency records as Daniel’s dad,” said Kasaris. “Your son is dead and you’re going to court and suing people.”

Documents revealed in court earlier in the trial showed Daniel’s biological father tried to sue Kimberly Fulton’s ex-husband.

Closing arguments from Owens and Kasaris lasted three hours Wednesday before the jury was excused to deliberate.

“Thirty-and-a-half years ago, Kim walked this earth and Daniel crawled; they came home one night, went to bed, and didn’t wake up,” said Kasaris. “Kim was smothered, doused with gas and then set on fire.”

Kasaris asked the jury to base their verdict solely on the evidence that was provided in court and see that Hickman was among those who were involved.

Amber Phipps can be reached at aphipps@newsandsentinel.com.