PICKAWAY – A man with no prior criminal record has been convicted this week in the brutal murder of two individuals, shocking the community and law enforcement alike.
The ordeal unfolded on October 20, 2023, when the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office received reports of two deceased individuals at the Whispering Pines Mobile Homes in Orient, Ohio. Concerned neighbors had noticed the motionless bodies inside a residence and promptly alerted emergency services.
Upon arrival, deputies discovered the lifeless bodies of two males in a back bedroom, both bearing multiple stab wounds inflicted by a knife. The victims were identified as Craig T. Dewitt, a 58-year-old resident of Lot 32 at 10117 US Route 62, and Cory A. Moore, a 25-year-old resident of Lot 22 at the same address in Orient, Ohio.
Merely hours after the gruesome crime, authorities made a breakthrough in the case. Marty Ray Dotson, 44, was apprehended on Wednesday morning and subsequently charged with two counts of Murder and one count of Kidnapping.
This week, in a courtroom session in Pickaway County, Dotson faced justice as he was found guilty of Murder and Voluntary Manslaughter. The court handed down a sentence of 26 years to life in prison, the maximum possible penalty for the heinous crimes.
The conviction of Dotson underscores the gravity of the tragedy that befell the community and serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life. As the affected families grapple with their loss, the community mourns the senseless violence that has left an indelible mark.
