Lynchburg woman charged with aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault

A Lynchburg woman was indicted on four counts, including charges of aggravated murder and murder, during the Tuesday, Aug. 6 Highland County grand jury session.

Rossalin R. Wass, 41, was charged with aggravated murder, an unclassified felony; murder, an unclassified felony; and two counts of felonious assault, both second-degree felonies.

As previously reported by the Highland County Sheriff’s Office, “on July 18 at approximately 3:59 p.m., a report of a stabbing was received through 911. Highland County Sheriff’s officers, along with the life squad from Eastern Joint Fire District, responded to the 2000 block of Gossett Road in Lynchburg.

“Upon arrival, a 61-year-old female resident of Gossett Road was found deceased as a result of injuries. The Highland County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called to assist with the crime scene investigation.”

The aggravated murder charge alleges that Wass “did purposely, and with prior calculation and design,” cause the victim’s death.

The indictment further alleges that she “did purposely cause the death” of the victim” and that she “did knowingly cause or attempt to cause serious physical harm to the victim.” The other felonious assault charge alleges that Wass “did knowingly cause or attempt to cause physical harm” to the victim using a cooking pot.

In other unrelated indictments:

• Derek Marsh, 36, of Georgetown was charged with aggravated trafficking in methamphetamine, a second-degree felony; aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a second-degree felony; and failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony.

Marsh is accused of “knowingly obtaining, possessing or using,” and “knowingly preparing for shipment, shipping, transporting, delivering, preparing for distribution or distributing,” methamphetamine in an amount equal to or exceeding five times bulk amount but less than 50 times bulk amount on or about June 24.

On the same date, it is alleged that Marsh “did operate a motor vehicle … so as willfully to elude or flee a police officer after receiving a visible or audible signal from [the] police officer to bring [his] motor vehicle to a stop, and the operation of the motor vehicle caused a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons or property.”

• Jai Kessinger, 47, of Lynchburg was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a third-degree felony; and possession of a fentanyl-related compound, a fourth-degree felony.

The indictment alleges that on or about Aug. 27, 2023, Kessinger “knowingly obtained, possessed or use” meth in an amount equal to or exceeding bulk amount but less than five times bulk amount, and a fentanyl-related compound in an amount equaling or exceeding one gram but less than five grams.

• Roger Fillmore, 43, of Bainbridge was charged with illegal conveyance of weapons, drugs or prohibited items onto the grounds of a detention facility or institution, a third-degree felony; trafficking in cocaine, a fifth-degree felony; and possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony.

It is alleged that on or about July 6, Fillmore “did knowingly convey, or attempt to convey,” a drug of abuse into the Greenfield Jail. On the same date, Fillmore is accused of “knowingly obtaining, possessing or using,” and “knowingly preparing for shipment, shipping, transporting, delivering, preparing for distribution or distributing,” cocaine.

• Paul D. Baker, 41, of Dayton was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; and failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony.

Both charges are from an alleged incident June 7, where it is alleged that Baker “knowingly obtained, possessed or used” meth and “operated a motor vehicle … so as willfully to elude or flee a police officer after receiving a visible or audible signal from [the] police officer to bring [his] motor vehicle to a stop, and the operation of the motor vehicle caused a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons or property.”

• Benjamin Benner, 43, of Sabina was charged with failure to comply with order or signal of a police officer, a third-degree felony; and receiving stolen property, a fifth-degree felony.

It is alleged that on or about March 30, Benner “did operate a motor vehicle … so as willfully to elude or flee a police officer after receiving a visible or audible signal from [the] police officer to bring [his] motor vehicle to a stop, and the operation of the motor vehicle caused a substantial risk of serious physical harm to persons or property.”

It is also alleged that on the same date, Benner “did receive, retain or dispose of” a motor vehicle identification license plate while knowing or having “reasonable cause to believe said property had been obtained through the commission of a theft offense.”

• Alan W. Smith, 39, of Wilmington was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony; and receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony.

The charges stem from July 10, where it is alleged that Smith “knowingly obtained, possessed or used” meth,” and July 11, when Smith allegedly “did receive, retain or dispose of” a motor vehicle “while knowing or having “reasonable cause to believe said property had been obtained through the commission of a theft offense.”

• Richard A. Ducker, 32, of Fayetteville was charged with receiving stolen property, a fourth-degree felony. It is alleged that on or about July 28, Ducker “did receive, retain or dispose of” a motor vehicle while while “knowing or having reasonable cause to believe said property had been obtained through the commission of a theft offense.”

• Matthew Lee Hunt, 34, of Leesburg, was charged with failure to appear, a fourth-degree felony. The charge is for allegedly failing to attend a sentencing hearing in July 2024 for a 2019 Highland County Common Pleas Court case.

• Nikki Brant, 25, of Dayton was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.

• Timothy Slack, 40, of Lynchburg was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.

• Carl Tabor, 42, of Leesburg was charged with aggravated possession of methamphetamine, a fifth-degree felony.

An indictment is merely a charge and is not evidence of guilt.

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