ASHVILLE, OH – The trial for Susan and Adam Withers, the Ashville dog owners charged in connection with a deadly dog attack, concluded on Friday with a guilty verdict on all counts. The couple was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of failure to confine a dog following the tragic death of 73-year-old JoAnn Echelbarger.
The charges stem from the October 31, 2024, attack when the Withers’ two pit bulls, Apollo and Echo, mauled Echelbarger as she worked in her garden. She later suffered cardiac arrest due to the severity of her injuries and died at the hospital.
History of Incidents
An investigation revealed that neighbors had long raised concerns about the Withers’ dogs. Since 2015, residents of the Reserve at Ashton Village reported the dogs running loose and acting aggressively. In March 2023, one of the dogs, Echo, bit a person, and in October 2023, Apollo killed another dog.
Despite these incidents, the Withers continued to defend their dogs, claiming they were provoked. In April 2024, the neighborhood homeowners association (HOA) filed a legal injunction seeking the removal of the animals. A Pickaway County Judge ruled in September 2024 that the dogs must be removed, but the fatal attack occurred before the order could be enforced.
Trial and Sentencing
Both dogs were euthanized following the attack, and the Withers were arrested and held on a $500,000 bond at the Pickaway County Jail. They had pleaded not guilty to all charges, but after several days of trial, the jury found them guilty.
The involuntary manslaughter charge is a felony, while the failure to confine a dog charges resulted from repeated instances of the animals running uncontrolled. The case has drawn significant attention, with many in the community seeking justice for Echelbarger.
“Today’s verdict represents a step toward justice in the horrific and preventable attack that took the life of Jo Ann Echelbarger. While the court has found the Withers guilty, we must recognize that this tragedy should never have happened in the first place. For years, residents and neighbors sounded the alarm about these dangerous dogs. Yet, their concerns were ignored by those in power—the HOA and the dog warden—who had both the responsibility and the authority to take action. The failure to intervene cost Jo Ann Echelbarger her life. We demand accountability beyond this courtroom to prevent another senseless loss,” Cooper Elliott attorneys Rex Elliott and Spencer Meador representing the Echelbarger family in their civil case
Sentencing for Susan and Adam Withers is expected in the coming weeks.
