McCONNELSVILLE - Homicide charges are expected to be filed today against a man who detectives say admitted to striking and killing a 35-year-old mother of three who was found dead Tuesday afternoon in her Malta apartment.
Morgan County officials declined to release the name of the suspect until formal charges are filed. The man is being held in a detention cell at the Morgan County Sheriff's Office.
Killed was Abi S. Matthews, 35, of 40 Third St.
Morgan County Prosecutor Mark Howdyshell said the preliminary autopsy report indicated Matthews died after being struck several times with a blunt object.
Howdyshell said Matthews' children were on vacation with their father at the time of the death. He did not know the ages of the children, and said it was his understanding Matthews was not married. She is a full-time student at a college in Zanesville, although Howdyshell did not immediately know the name of the college.
"I say 'it's my understanding' because the sheriff's office is still investigating and I don't have the paperwork on the case," he said. "They've kept me informed with everything, but I'm going by memory right now and I just don't have all the facts and details available to me."
Howdyshell said he plans to meet with detectives today to determine the appropriate charges. Once that happens, he said, charges will be filed and the name of the suspect will be released.
Morgan County Sheriff Tom Jenkins could not be reached for comment. His office issued a press release indicating the suspect confessed to investigators "that he had an altercation with the victim and took (her) car and set it on fire."
According to the release, Matthews was struck several times with a blunt object and found around 1:37 p.m. Tuesday on the floor of her apartment. Her shelled vehicle was found later that day just outside Malta.
Malta is located on the Muskingum River, directly across from McConnelsville, which is about 35 miles northwest of Marietta.
Howdyshell said the preliminary autopsy provided "a window" of the approximate time of death, but he declined to release that information.
"This case is still under investigation, and I'm not sure what the sheriff wants to release at this time," he said.
Malta resident Greg Hill said he would often see Matthews standing with her children at a school bus stop located directly across from his detailing shop.
"She seemed like a really nice young woman," Hill said. "We would chat sometimes, but usually just exchange 'hellos.' This is really just a shame."
Hill, who is also a councilman for the village of Malta, said the town has about 700 residents.
"It's generally pretty quiet and peaceful around here," he said. "Last night I was trying to think of the last murder we had in Malta and I couldn't remember."
There was a homicide in McConnelsville in September, when Rodney Spencer, 49, was discovered dead in his Plum Street home after a Sept. 24 fire that was later ruled as arson. That case remains under investigation.
