State v. Spirko

Thomas F. Bryant, Judge.

Appellant, John G. Spirko, appeals from the judgment of the Van Wert County Court of Common Pleas dismissing his second petition for postconviction relief filed on February 10, 1997.

On August 21, 1984, a jury found Spirko guilty of the kidnapping and aggravated murder of Betty Jane Mottinger, the postmaster in Elgin, Ohio. On August 27,1984, Spirko was sentenced to death.

Spirko filed a direct appeal to this court. We affirmed his conviction and sentence. State v. Spirko (Mar. 6, 1989), Van Wert App. No. 15-84-22, unreported, 1989 WL 17734. The judgment of this court…