One of four defendants in the Nov. 27, 2019, murders of Caleb Chamberlain and Anthony Scartz was found guilty Friday on six felony counts and faces a life sentence.
Josia Bush, 19, was found guilty of two counts of complicity to murder; one count of complicity to aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; one count of complicity to aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony; one count of complicity to kidnapping, a first-degree felony; and one count of complicity to felonious assault, a second-degree felony.
He was acquitted of one count of felonious assault.
He will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 10.
A co-defendant, Elijah Barrett, 18, pled guilty in December to complicity to aggravated robbery, complicity to aggravated assault and complicity to murder. He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving a net of 25 to 27 years.
He is currently housed at the Orient Correctional Facility.
Two other defendants, Austin Allen, 23, and Ethan Grim, 20, are slated for trials.
Each have been charged with two counts of complicity to murder; one count of complicity to aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; one count of complicity to aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony; one count of complicity to kidnapping, a first-degree felony; and two counts of complicity to felonious assault, second-degree felonies.
Allen’s trial is set to start Nov. 29 while Grim’s is set for Jan. 9.
Allen had entered guilty pleas to complicity to aggravated burglary and complicity to aggravated burglary without specifications that a gun was used in the crimes a year ago. He withdrew the pleas in August.
At the time of the murders Bush was 16; Barrett was 15; and Grim was 17. Each was bound over from juvenile court to stand trial as adults in the summer of 2021.
The Logan County Prosecutor’s Office presented its case this week in the Logan County Common Pleas Court and convinced a jury of eight women and four men that Bush entered the victims’ 601 W. Columbus Ave. residence with Grim and Barrett to steal money and marijuana from the victims.
Chamberlain, 22, and Scartz, 24, came home as the trio were on the second floor and a gun battle ensued up a stairwell between Scartz and Barrett.
Barrett was struck in a leg while Scartz was shot several times and succumbed to his injuries several days later.
Grim allegedly took Barrett’s gun and shot Chamberlain who died at the scene.
Allen allegedly drove the trio to and from the residence.
Following the shooting, the three teenage suspects reportedly fled to Urbana to get Barrett help for a gunshot wound to one of his legs.
After he was flown to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, investigators were alerted of his identity and Columbus police officers assisted to secure him at the hospital during treatment. He was arrested upon his release.
Grim and Bush remained on the run until the morning of Nov. 28 when officers of the Urbana Police Department received and passed on a tip. Bellefontaine detectives then asked deputies from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office to check a residence in their jurisdiction which ultimately led to their capture.
Allen was taken into custody a day later.
