Springfield Twp. slaying back before appeals court

Judge recused self in 2011 double-murder

Samuel Williams, 26.

Ohio’s 6th District Court of Appeals plans to hold a second round of oral arguments in the case of a Toledo man convicted in 2012 in the murder of a Springfield Township couple.

The appeal of Samuel Williams, 26, is to be heard Oct. 1 before Judges Arlene Singer, Thomas Osowik, and Stephen Yarbrough. At a similar hearing in June, Judge James Jensen sat on the panel, but he recused himself after determining he had signed the initial search warrant in the case while serving as a Lucas County Common Pleas judge.

Williams was convicted of two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of aggravated burglary for the Jan. 30, 2011, asphyxiation deaths of Lisa Straub, 20, and Johnny Clarke, 21. They were found in the home of Ms. Straub’s parents with their hands bound and plastic bags secured around their necks with duct tape.

George Conklin, Williams’ attorney, argued at the last hearing that there was not enough evidence to convict Williams.