Murder suspect was released by state board after 30 years in prison

Lawrence County Prosecutor Brigham Anderson said on Wednesday that he opposed parole four years ago for the suspect in an Ironton murder that led to a multi-state manhunt over the weekend.

On Friday, Ironton police responded to a call at 2607 S 3rd Street, Ironton, where they found a female tied up, as well as the body of Donald Wood.

Police began searching for Wood’s stepson, David Maynard, of Ironton, who went on the run through Kentucky and West Virginia, abducting two women and stealing their vehicles, before he was shot after taking hostages at a Ceredo, West Virginia gas station early Sunday.

The woman and the hostages were unharmed after release.

Anderson said he opposed parole for Maynard on Feb. 7, 2019, when it went before the Ohio Parole Board.

Maynard had been serving an indeterminate sentence of 20 years to life in prison for a 1989 aggravated murder and aggravated robbery conviction in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

While in prison, Maynard was convicted in 2009 of possession of a deadly weapon while under detention and sentenced two years in prison in Allen County Common Pleas Court.

Following his parole, Maynard was released on Nov. 1, 2019, after serving 30 years in prison.

Anderson told The Tribune that the decision was made by the state board and not locally.

“I wanted to make sure people did not think it was one of our local judges,” he said.

Anderson said a convict can apply for parole at any time, but the prosecutor’s office does not become involved until a parole hearing is scheduled.

When Maynard got his hearing, Anderson said he voiced his opposition to Maynard’s release, due to the violent nature of his crimes, as well as his committing a crime in prison.

“I opposed it and we know what happened,” Anderson said. “It’s tragic.”

Anderson posted a statement on the matter on his office’s Facebook page, along with a copy of his 2019 letter to the board opposing Maynard’s release.