Bowman murder jury to resume deliberations Tuesday

Man charged with 1967 murder of Eileen Adams

Robert Bowman appears in Lucas County Common Pleas Court with Attorney Jane Roman last week.

The Lucas County Common Pleas jury in the Robert Bowman murder trial was sequestered to an area motel Monday evening, and is expected to resume deliberations Tuesday morning.

The jury, which began deliberating at about 12:15 p.m., decided at about 9 p.m. to stop for the night, and is scheduled to start back up at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Lucas County Prosecutor's Office.

Bowman, 75, is charged with murder in the first degree for the 1967 murder of Eileen Adams. The 14-year-old Sylvania Township teenager was last seen Dec. 17, 1967, as she was traveling to her sister’s West Toledo home after school.

Her body was found Jan. 30, 1968, in a Monroe County field bound in a braided rug. Her hands were tied in front of her and a cord was attached her bound ankles to her neck. A nail had been driven into the back of her skull.

Attorneys gave lengthy closing arguments, summarizing seven days of testimony from a total of 17 witnesses. Assistant prosecutors noted that Bowman was tied to the crime by eyewitness statements from his ex-wife and through DNA found on the victim’s body.

The defense asked the jurors not to decide the case based on sympathy and noted that many questions still remained. Attorney Pete Rost noted that science is not infallible and pointed out the Bowman never made any admissions to his role.

He also attacked the credibility of Bowman’s former wife, Margaret, who testified during the trial that she saw the young girl tied up and alive in her basement and that her husband told her he would have to kill the captive after she became involved in his business. Mr. Rost noted that she went to authorities 14 years after Miss Adams’ death.