June 15th-WOOSTER — .Eli D. Weaver, the husband of shooting victim Barbara D. Weaver, 30, of Apple Creek (Maysville) and Barbara A. Raber, 39, were indicted Friday by a Wayne County grand jury at Wooster on charges of aggravated murder with a gun specification.
According to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, Barbara Weaver was found unresponsive in her bed by a family member. That person summoned help from a neighbor, who then called 911. The Fredericksburg EMS responded and found that the woman was deceased and had suffered a gunshot wound.
Five young children were at home at the time of the shooting.
Aug 18- WOOSTER, OH — .A Maysville man pleaded guilty Monday afternoon to complicity in the murder of his wife.
Eli D. Weaver, 29, of 10465 Harrison Rd., Apple Creek, (Maysville) pleaded guilty to complicity to commit murder. He had been charged with aggravated murder in Wayne County Common Pleas Court in the shooting death of his wife, Barbara Weaver. In a plea deal Monday, the charge was amended to remove a gun specification, and modified to complicity. He faces 15 years to life in prison.
Hyde said Weaver and Raber communicated via text message up to the night of the shooting, including how to gain entrance to and navigate the residence. Weaver left the basement door open and advised she bring a flashlight, Hyde said.
“It’s ... my understanding he never procured a gun for her, showed her how to shoot it or explained anything like that. I think he just made his home available the night it happened,” he said, following the plea.
Hyde said Eli Weaver had left for a fishing trip around 3 to 3:30 a.m. on June 2 and Raber allegedly came to the residence around 4 a.m.
Through the investigation into the shooting, detectives learned Weaver was romantically involved with several women, including Raber, and “was unhappy in his marriage and had spoken to multiple people about different ways to kill his wife,” according to Sheriff’s Capt. Doug Hunter.
Hyde could not expand on the relationship between Raber and Weaver.
“I don’t know the nature of the relationship. But the rumor has been it was a sexual relationship between him and her, that certainly underlines all this, but I don’t think he was as close to her as her information was leading you guys to believe,” Hyde said.
As part of the plea arrangement, Eli Weaver will testify against Raber. Public Defender John Leonard, representing Raber, declined comment.
Sept 17-WOOSTER – “Eli, you can run but you can’t hide,” the man said. “We’ll get you. Obviously, we made a mistake last night.”
That was according to a voice mail left at a shanty just outside of Eli D. Weaver’s residence June 3, the day after his wife, Barbara Weaver, was found dead in bed at their 10465 Harrison Rd., Apple Creek, home.
Barbara Weaver was found dead June 2 by one of her children, according to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Ryan Koster testified she was found with a comforter covering her body.
Wayne County Coroner Amy Jolliff testified Barbara Weaver died from a gunshot wound to the right side of her chest. The death certificate and supplemental report say she died at 2 a.m.
The time of death, however, is an estimate, ranging, Jolliff said, from as far as midnight June 1 to 7 a.m. June 2.
Boyle painted Eli Weaver as a man increasingly unhappy in his marriage, and romancing other women – including fathering a child with one of them.
He was a man who talked about ways to get rid of his wife, Boyle said, and Raber was the one who listened.
Boyle said Raber, a driver for Amish, and Eli Weaver’s relationship goes back almost a decade, starting as a friendship and developing into an intimate relationship that lasted six years.
She said Raber researched poisons, gases, the ways to “get rid of someone.”
“He’s the kind of person that is a charmer,” he said. “He’s the kind of person, for whatever reason, he seemed to have an effect on people ... for whatever reason could make the ladies like him.”
Leonard said Raber would do anything for Eli Weaver, noting she supplied him with a cell phone and access to a computer.
“She pretty much did anything he wanted because he was a charming person,” he said.
Eli Weaver pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder Aug. 17. He’s expected to testify against Raber, who, if convicted, faces up to life in prison.
Sept 22- After a little more than five hours of deliberation Tuesday, a jury handed down a guilty verdict against Barbara Raber.
As the verdict was read after the three-day trial, Barbara Raber, 39, collapsed in her seat. She put her hands and her face on the table and began to cry. As all 12 jurors gave their guilty verdict, Raber sobbed “I didn’t do it. I didn’t do it.” Wayne County sheriff’s deputies took her away, and she continued crying, “I didn’t do it. I didn’t do it.”
She faces up to life in prison and will be sentenced Sept. 30.
In closing statements Tuesday morning, Raber’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender John J. Leonard, said Raber was not the one who killed Barbara Weaver, and that it was the victim’s husband, Eli D. Weaver.
He said Weaver, 29, killed his wife at 2 a.m. on June 2. That morning he went on a fishing trip with friends, and one of his friend’s testified it took him five to eight minutes to answer the door. Leonard said Weaver, who had talked about killing his wife, used Raber to help facilitate the crime, researching poisons and providing him with a cell phone and a computer.
“He suckered Barbara Raber into getting it for him. ... He was taking advantage of Barbara Raber,” Leonard said.
He also noted the lack of a weapon as evidence and said the proximity of the killing suggested it was personal.
Barbara Weaver, 30, was found dead in bed June 2, according to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, at her 10465 Harrison Rd., Apple Creek, home. She died from a shotgun wound to the chest.
Raber and Eli Weaver were arrested June 10, and both were later charged with aggravated murder. Weaver pleaded guilty Aug. 17 to complicity to commit murder. He will be sentenced today at 1:30 p.m.
Text messages showed Weaver and Raber had talked about ways to kill Barbara Weaver and later avoid getting caught. Detective John Chuhi said Raber went along with Eli’s pleas to end his marriage “in a joking manner to see how far he would go.” Raber later confessed to killing Barbara Weaver, detectives testified.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Edna Boyle said the murder was a calculated plan and not an accident. She said the crime was about two selfish people – Eli Weaver, unhappy in his marriage, and Raber, who “wanted Eli Weaver all to herself.”
“We’re talking about two selfish people here who thought they were going to get away with it,” she said.
Coshocton didn't cover this story but I just can't believe what I'm reading! Barbara Raber grew up close to my grandparents. I hope she gets life and I hope he does to. I was told that his wife Barbara Weaver wrote a note to her sister asking her to take care of the kids cuz she knew that she would not see them grow up, She also went to the church (amish church) where the head guy told her "go home and be a good wife to your husband" this poor woman was reaching out and no one listened to her!!! Now there are 5 Children that doesn't have their mom or their psyco dad! Raber was also married and had 3 of her own children. Just makes me wonder what is this world really coming to? I put most of the story on here but if you wanna read it for your self go to www.timesreporter.com and do a search for Raber and Weaver it'll pull it up... Wow
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Wed Sep 23, 2009 4:21 pm