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By Jim Carney
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 10:59 a.m. EDT, Jul 21, 2008
The man accused of killing Twinsburg police officer Joshua T. Miktarian has been indicted by a Summit County grand jury.
Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh, at a press conference this morning in Twinsburg City Council Chambers, said Ashford Thompson, 23, of Twinsburg, was indicted on two counts of aggravated murder with death specifications, two counts of escape, two counts of resisting arrest, three counts of tampering with evidence and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.
In addition, there are also numerous firearm specifications included in the indictment.
''The aggravated murder charges include the specification for imposition of the death penalty for aggravated murder when the victim was a law enforcement officer,'' Walsh said, ''and at the time of the commission of the offense, was engaged in the victim's duties or it was the offender's specific purpose to kill a law enforcement officer.''
Miktarian, 33, of Tallmadge was killed when he stopped Thompson in front of Thompson's house at 2454 Glenwood Drive for playing loud music and suspicion of driving under the influence, according to police.
Walsh said other specifications in the indictment deal with committing aggravated murder in the course of escape and to avoid apprehension or detection of a crime.
A coroner's spokesman said Miktarian was shot in the head several times at close range.
Thompson was arrested by Bedford Heights police less than an hour later at a home on Cambridge Road.
Walsh, who said she is the granddaughter of a police officer, said, ''It is not part of the job of a police officer to be kicked, hit, spit on, or assaulted in any manner for doing their job. It certainly was not part of officer Miktarian's job to give his life that Sunday morning. It was not his job to leave behind a wife with no husband and a baby girl with no father.''
A preliminary hearing in Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court that was scheduled for today was cancelled. Thompson, who is being held on $5 million bond, is scheduled for arraignment Friday at 8:30 a.m.
Walsh would not comment on whether others may be charged in the case and said, ''We will prosecute Ashford Thompson to the fullest extent of the law and will seek justice for officer Miktarian, his family, his colleagues and for all the citizens of Summit County.''
As Walsh spoke, a shrine for Miktarian remained in front of Twinsburg City Hall that includes flowers, pictures, posters and holy candles, some of which are still lit.
''Officer Miktarian, God bless you. We will remember,'' were the words written on one of the signs.
The man accused of killing Twinsburg police officer Joshua T. Miktarian has been indicted by a Summit County grand jury.
Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh, at a press conference this morning in Twinsburg City Council Chambers, said Ashford Thompson, 23, of Twinsburg, was indicted on two counts of aggravated murder with death specifications, two counts of escape, two counts of resisting arrest, three counts of tampering with evidence and one count of carrying a concealed weapon.
In addition, there are also numerous firearm specifications included in the indictment.
''The aggravated murder charges include the specification for imposition of the death penalty for aggravated murder when the victim was a law enforcement officer,'' Walsh said, ''and at the time of the commission of the offense, was engaged in the victim's duties or it was the offender's specific purpose to kill a law enforcement officer.''
Miktarian, 33, of Tallmadge was killed when he stopped Thompson in front of Thompson's house at 2454 Glenwood Drive for playing loud music and suspicion of driving under the influence, according to police.
Walsh said other specifications in the indictment deal with committing aggravated murder in the course of escape and to avoid apprehension or detection of a crime.
A coroner's spokesman said Miktarian was shot in the head several times at close range.
Thompson was arrested by Bedford Heights police less than an hour later at a home on Cambridge Road.
Walsh, who said she is the granddaughter of a police officer, said, ''It is not part of the job of a police officer to be kicked, hit, spit on, or assaulted in any manner for doing their job. It certainly was not part of officer Miktarian's job to give his life that Sunday morning. It was not his job to leave behind a wife with no husband and a baby girl with no father.''
A preliminary hearing in Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court that was scheduled for today was cancelled. Thompson, who is being held on $5 million bond, is scheduled for arraignment Friday at 8:30 a.m.
Walsh would not comment on whether others may be charged in the case and said, ''We will prosecute Ashford Thompson to the fullest extent of the law and will seek justice for officer Miktarian, his family, his colleagues and for all the citizens of Summit County.''
As Walsh spoke, a shrine for Miktarian remained in front of Twinsburg City Hall that includes flowers, pictures, posters and holy candles, some of which are still lit.
''Officer Miktarian, God bless you. We will remember,'' were the words written on one of the signs.
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