Toledoan indicted in deaths of 2 women last year

3/4/2010

A Toledo man was charged Thursday in the death of two women — one whose weighted down body was found in August in an Ottawa County marina.

Currently incarcerated at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio on a charge of driving under a suspended license, Wahl is also charged in the death of Ursula Graves, 42, who died Sept. 11 of a combination of alcohol and heroin.

Authorities said Wahl was an acquaintance of both victims. He was apparently one of the last people to be seen with Ms. Shively before she went missing on Aug. 15.

Authorities believe that the two had an argument that may have led to the death.

Ms. Shively was discovered in shallow water on Aug. 25. Originally unidentified, authorities learned the woman's name from family members who called in after seeing detailed photos of the woman's tattoos on 5 p.m. television news broadcasts.

She was the mother of five children.

Initially a witness in the case because he was acquainted with Ms. Shively, Wahl was interviewed by police on Sept. 1, Toledo police Detective Jeff Clark said. He became a suspect as the investigation continued, which resulted in the discovery of several inconsistencies in his statement, the detective added.

Also listed as a potential witness in Ms. Shively's murder was Ms. Graves, who authorities identified as Wahl's girlfriend.

"She ends up dead on Sept. 11, 2009, and Rodney Wahl is present when police and fire crews show up," Detective Clark said. "He's the only one present, but not the one who called 911."

Police believe Wahl injected Ms. Graves with a lethal dose of drugs.

Wahl is charged with aggravated murder in the death of both women. He is also charged with an alternate count of murder in the death of Ms. Graves.

Wahl, who has an extensive criminal background, was released from prison in December, 2008, after spending several years behind bars on robbery conviction. He was arrested in November, 2009 for driving with a suspended license.