Final pretrial in June, trial in August

A trial date is set for the suspect in a quadruple homicide in Decatur Township last month.

Arron Lawson, 23, of Pedro, appeared in Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Andy Ballard’s courtroom for a pretrial Friday afternoon, where the state and defense went over final matters before preparing for the trial.

Lawson is accused of killing husband and wife Donald McGuire, 50, Tammie McGuire, 43, their daughter, Stacey Jackson Holston, 25, and her son, Devin Holston, 8, before a two-day manhunt ensued to capture him.

Lawson is facing 13 total charges, including four counts Aggravated Murder, all unclassified felonies; one count Attempted Murder, a first-degree felony; one count Felonious Assault, a second-degree felony; one count Aggravated Burglary, a first-degree felony; one count Rape, a first-degree felony; one count Abuse of a Corpse, a fifth-degree felony; one count Kidnapping, a first-degree felony; one count Tampering with Evidence, a third-degree felony; one count Theft of a Motor Vehicle, a fourth-degree felony; and one count Failure to Comply with the Order or Signal of a Police Officer, a third-degree felony.

A final procedural pretrial over the phone is set for Monday, Dec. 11. The first evidentiary deadline is in February 2018, with the final evidentiary deadline set for Friday, May 11, 2018.

The final pretrial is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 26, 2018 and the trial will begin at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Aug. 6, 2018.

The state is represented by Lawrence County Prosecutor Brigham Anderson, who said he fully intends to seek the death penalty in the case, and Angela Capena, of the Ohio State Attorney General’s Office Special Prosecutor’s Unit.

Representing Lawson are Kirk McVay, assistant Ohio state public defender, as lead counsel because he is certified to take on capital punishment cases, and attorney Gene Meadows.

Lawson is currently being held without bond.