Delphos man charged with murder in wife's slaying

10/7/2005

VAN WERT - A rural Delphos, Ohio, man was charged with murder yesterday for killing his wife in their home.

John P. Gaddy, 49, is being held in the Van Wert County jail. Judge Phil Campbell set bond at $500,000 during an arraignment yesterday in Van Wert County Court.

Sheriff Stan Owens said Mr. Gaddy called 911 at 3:26 p.m. Wednesday saying he had just killed his wife, Laura, 46. When deputies arrived at the State Road home, they found her body in a rear room

Mrs. Gaddy suffered blunt-force trauma and penetration by a knife, Sheriff Owens said, adding that investigators do not know what specifically caused her death. An autopsy was to have been performed at the Lucas County Coroner's Office, Toledo.

"We recovered two instruments that were used in the course of the homicide," the sheriff said.

She was pronounced dead at the scene, and Mr. Gaddy was taken into custody and interviewed by investigators. Sheriff Owens said he could not discuss a specific motive for the slaying.

"It just appeared to be a combination of the different stressers that go in a domestic setting," the sheriff said. "He was dealing with some health issues that added to his stress."

Deputies had not previously been to the Gaddys' home for any type of domestic complaints. Sheriff Owens said the couple's 9-year-old son was at school at the time of the incident. The boy is now staying with family members.

Mr. Gaddy was employed at a Van Wert factory, while his wife worked for Central Mutual Insurance Co. in Van Wert.