2024 could bring 2 murder trials to Huron County

NORWALK — There could be two murder trials in Huron County Common Pleas Court in the first quarter of 2024. Austin Reed, who was 16 when he allegedly stabbed his father, is scheduled for his final pre-trial hearing on Jan. 16 and has a trial date set for March 12. He is being charged as an adult in the case and faces charges of murder, reckless homicide, aggravated murder, voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. Reed allegedly stabbed his father to death late in the night on Nov. 5 after a family argument, according to police. The boy's father, Joeby Reed, 40, died after the stabbing, police said. The boy's mother called police at 11:19 p.m., and police arrived on the scene at 11:20 p.m. Norwalk fire and North Central EMS arrived shortly after that. When officers arrived, the teen was taken into custody, and Joeby Reed was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. He had suffered a stab wound to the chest. Under Ohio law, a child can be tried as an adult only if the child was 14 years or older at the time of the offense, according to the Ohio Bar Association. In the other case headed to a possible trial, Zachary T. Boster, 26, who allegedly stabbed Brandi Chong Thorton, 31, her unborn child, and her son, Juelz Bryant, 13, has a pre-trial hearing scheduled for Jan. 16 and a trial date set for March 25, according to court records. Boster faces six counts of aggravated murder, two counts of aggravated burglary, two counts of burglary, one count of tampering with evidence and two misdemeanor counts of child endangering. On Sept. 3, 2022, Willard police were called to a home in the 1000 block of S. Myrtle Ave. for a disturbance, according to a news release from the department. "Officers arrived and were alerted by family members of two deceased persons inside the residence," according to the release. Thornton and Bryant had been stabbed to death, according to Huron County Prosecutor James Joel Sitterly. Boster and Thornton were described as "romantically involved," during his September 2022 arraignment. It was also disclosed that a 5-year-old child witnessed the slayings but was not physically harmed. The Huron County public defender's office is representing both Reed and Boster. Public Defender David Longo could not be reached on Monday. Sitterly also could not be reached.