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LISBON -- A brief telephone conference regarding the man accused in the murder of a Wellsville woman was held Wednesday in the courtroom of Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam for the purpose of setting dates for pretrial hearings and a possible jury trial, but only another scheduling telephone conference was slated.
Defense attorney Dennis McNamara, appearing by telephone from the Columbus area, waived the appearance of his client, Terrance Haywood, 27, Chester Avenue, Wellsville, who is charged with the murder, aggravated burglary, tampering with evidence and having weapons while under disability.
During the hearing it was noted Haywood is also facing drug-trafficking charges in front of the other Common Pleas Court judge, Megan Bickerton. Assistant County Prosecutor Ryan Weikart said he has concerns about a potential conflict of interest between that case and the murder case. Weikart said he currently has asked the state attorney general's office for an opinion about his concerns.
Additionally, the case in front of Bickerton is scheduled for a status conference on Friday and a jury trial next week. Haywood's defense attorney in the case was Christopher Weeda, who has taken a position in the county prosecutor's office and for now defense attorney Joseph King has been appointed to defend Haywood.
McNamara did not rule out defending Haywood in the drug-related case, which charges Haywood with trafficking in heroin, trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound and aggravated trafficking of drugs. However, McNamara said he has not been asked to do so by Haywood either.
Another telephone conference to schedule dates for the murder trial was scheduled for Jan. 15.
Haywood is accused of the shooting death of his girlfriend, 26-year-old Destiny Moody, also known as Destiny Penny, while three of her four children were upstairs in her home in Wellsville in October of 2019.
djohnson@mojonews.com