Michael Stacy enters Columbiana County Common Pleas Court where he pleaded guilty Tuesday to attempted murder, attempted aggravated arson, abduction and trespass in a habitation for his attack on an elderly woman last fall in Wellsville. He was sentenced to at least 13 years in prison. (Photo by Mary Ann Greier)

LISBON — A man who severely beat an elderly woman with a wooden stick, blocked her ability to exit her Wellsville home and turned on all the gas burners on the stove before fleeing must serve at least 13 years in prison for attempted murder and other charges.

Horrific — that’s how Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bickerton described what Michael Stacy did on Oct. 17, 2024 before she sentenced him Tuesday.

“I don’t know how people hurt defenseless human beings,” she said.

Stacy, 35, 19th Street, Wellsville, entered a guilty plea to first-degree felony attempted murder, second-degree felony attempted aggravated arson, third-degree felony abduction and fourth-degree felony trespass in a habitation. As part of the plea agreement, charges of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and a third-degree felony attempted aggravated arson were dismissed.

County Assistant Prosecutor Alec Beech noted that as part of the agreement, “the state reserves the right to pursue additional charges if (the) victim dies as a result of (the) defendant’s conduct in this case.”

The woman was 92 years old at the time of the attack and is now 93 and living in a nursing home, unable to return to her home where she lived for many years.

Bickerton added a year to what the prosecution recommended, sentencing Stacy to a minimum 13 years up to a possible maximum of 18 or more years. The prosecution had recommended a minimum of 12 years. The maximum number takes into account the minimum from the court plus additional time the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections can add if he misbehaves in prison.

The breakdown of the sentence was 10 to 15 years for attempted murder, three to four and a half years for attempted aggravated arson, and 12 months each for abduction and trespass in a habitation. She ordered the terms for attempted murder and attempted aggravated arson be served consecutively, with the other terms to be served at the same time, bringing the minimum total to 13 years.

He received credit for 85 days already served.

The 13 years also must be served consecutively to the prison term of nine months he received in January after pleading guilty to three counts of nonsupport of dependents, a fifth-degree felony, for failing to pay child support for three children from July 4, 2021 to July 2, 2023.

He could have faced up to 23 and a half years in prison for the minimum.

Bickerton also said when Stacy gets out of prison he must register as a violent offender for 10 years and must register as an arson offender for the rest of his life.

She said the consecutive sentences were necessary to protect the public and that the seriousness factors and recidivism factors were high, citing the seriousness of the crime and his past criminal history.

County Assistant Prosecutor Tammie Riley Jones described the scene for the judge, how the defendant knew the victim, was living with her and she was trying to help him. In the wee hours of the morning on Oct. 17, police were called to the duplex and after they knocked with no response, they looked through the window and saw the victim bleeding from her head. A neighbor had called police after seeing the defendant standing over her, yelling at her and hitting her with the stick.

She said the house was also ransacked, with stuff placed so the victim wouldn’t have been able to get out. Then he left the burners wide open on the gas stove, which created a risk of fire and explosion.

The victim suffered a broken hand, two broken kneecaps, broken ribs and a laceration requiring 19 stitches. Jones showed Bickerton photographs of the scene that had been prepared for trial, showing the victim injured and the way the home looked.

She said there was no provocation and that they may never know what prompted the attack. Then she reviewed the defendant’s extensive criminal record, with charges both here in Ohio and in South Carolina, including assault and burglary. In fact, when the attack happened, he was wanted for failing to show up in court for the nonsupport of dependents case.

“I don’t know that there’s been any demonstration of remorse,” she said.

Defense attorney Charley Kidder asked the court to consider concurrent sentences for a total of five years and added “there is genuine remorse from Mr. Stacy.”

Kidder said he has a support system through his mother, who was present in the courtroom with a friend and wrote a letter of support. Kidder said she didn’t believe she could get through reading it aloud so he handed it to the judge and she read it to herself. Kidder said it’s an awful case and that his client had a drug issue. He said this is not the person he is.

When asked if he had anything to say, Stacy said, “I would never intentionally hurt that woman,” but then Bickerton interrupted and said, “But you did, that’s the fact.”

“There is no excuse. I don’t care what you took, what you used,” she said.

Bickerton pointed out that a neighbor called police after hearing the victim screaming for help. She couldn’t help but wonder, “What if the neighbor didn’t hear her and you beat her to death?”

She couldn’t imagine the fear the victim must have felt. She also noted the defendant wasn’t messed up enough to not get out of there. He made sure he was gone and made sure the victim couldn’t get out. She said the victim has probably already forgiven him and his mother is willing to support him.

“You have an opportunity here, or you can roll your eyes and act like you don’t care,” Bickerton said.

After the hearing, Jones thanked Lt. Marsha Eisenhart of the Wellsville Police Department for the investigation and assistance with the case.

“We hope the outcome brings some closure to the victim and her family,” Beech said.

mgreier@mojonews.com