Ohio Supreme Court sets execution dates

By Marc Kovac

news@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

The Ohio Supreme Court has set a July 2012 execution date for a death-row inmate convicted of murdering a Youngstown business owner 25 years ago.

John Eley will face lethal injection on July 26, 2012. He was sentenced to death for the August 1986 killing of Ihsan Aydah, the 28-year-old owner of the Sinjil Market, during a robbery Aug. 26, 1986.

According to documents, Eley shot Aydah in the head, and he and an accomplice stole his wallet and money from a cash register.

Also Tuesday, the Supreme Court announced a September 2012 execution for Donald L. Palmer Jr., who was convicted of killing two men after an automobile accident in Belmont County in May 1989.

According to documents, Palmer was a passenger in the car involved in the accident. He exited his vehicle, walked up to the other vehicle and shot Charles Sponhaltz twice in the head. Palmer then murdered Steven Vargo in similar fashion after the latter stopped at the accident scene.

With the dates announced Tuesday, a total of 11 death- row inmates are scheduled for execution during the next 14 months.

Kenneth Wayne Smith is next, with an execution date of July 19. He was convicted in a 1995 murder in Butler County.