Indictment filed in Lancaster double homicide
A Fairfield County man is facing more than a dozen felony charges, including aggravated murder, in connection with the deaths of two family members and the assault of a third, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Fairfield County Prosecutor Kyle Witt announced.
A Fairfield County grand jury indicted Kyle Varney, 26, of Lancaster, on 18 felony charges, including:
• 2 counts of aggravated murder (unclassified felony)
• 4 counts of murder (unclassified felony)
• 1 count of attempted aggravated murder (F1)
• 2 counts of attempted murder (F1)
• 6 counts of felonious assault (F2)
• 3 counts of improperly discharging a firearm at or into a habitation or in a school safety zone (F2).
All the charges carry firearms specifications.
On Feb. 25, Lancaster police responded to a call about a disturbed man at a home in the 1200 block of North Broad Street. Upon arriving, officers encountered Varney in the front yard, allegedly holding a shotgun.
The on-scene investigation showed that Varney allegedly fired at a woman leaving the home, prompting police to respond with deadly force. The woman survived her injuries, but police discovered the bodies of two men inside the house.
The Lancaster Police Department requested assistance from Yost’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation to investigate the crimes leading up to the officer-involved shooting. A separate BCI investigation of the officer-involved shooting is ongoing.
The Fairfield County Prosecutor’s Office is prosecuting the case.
Indictments are criminal allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proved guilty in a court of law.
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