Casto trial gets underway in Ball murder case
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PARKERSBURG - The prosecution presented a picture of a turbulent on-again, off-again relationship between Greg Casto and Cindy Ball where arguments and treats of violence were common while the defense claims another possible suspect who also had a turbulent relationship with Ball was not properly investigated.
Opening arguments and testimony got underway Tuesday in Wood County Circuit Court before Judge J.D. Beane in the case of Casto, 57, of Wood County who is on trial for the 2014 murder of Cindy Ball, 36. He was indicted on charges of first-degree murder and concealing a dead body.
Jury selection was completed Monday and a 12-man, two woman jury was seated, which includes two alternates. The alternates will not be identified until deliberations begin.
Ball was last seen leaving the Overtime Sports Bar in Parkersburg on Oct. 22, 2014. Her body was found two days later, on Oct. 24, 2014, off Sugar Camp Road in Wirt County.
"I'm going to jail," Wood County Prosecutor Pat Lefebure quoted a text Casto sent to three individuals in the days after Ball was found in the prosecution's opening statements. Casto sent two other images to another individual around Nov. 1, 2014 including one that said "Get a warrant" and another that says "No one talks, everyone walks."
In a conversation with one of Ball's family that was recorded and turned over to the West Virginia State Police Casto said he was the last one to be seen with her, Lefebure said adding Casto allegedly said the two got into a "rolling domestic" incident where they were fighting while in his GMC truck as they were driving along. Casto claimed Ball stabbed him two times, once in each shoulder, and then she jumped out of the car along W.Va. Route 47 near Abbey Village while going around 55 mph, the prosecutor said.
"He states he didn't go back to look for her and left her there," Lefebure said.
The West Virginia Medical Examiner Dr. Allen Mock later testified that during the autopsy Ball did not have wounds consistent with someone who jumped out of a moving vehicle.
Ball was found down an embankment and was found without underwear or pants on and shot in the head. Mock testified she had shotgun pellets found in her head were it appear one hit an artery and she bled out as a result.
Lefebure said Casto was involved in a Poker Run in that area and there was a local cabin he had access to so he knew the area. There were also a jean button found in a furnace Casto had that matched the style of jeans ball had. He also had the type of ammo that Ball was shot with.
Swabs from a sexual assault kit found Ball had seminal fluid in her that either came from the defendant or a male relative, Lefebure said.
There are video clips taken by home security systems in the area showing a truck, like one owned by Casto, seen around Sugar Camp Road around the time the body is believed to be taken out there, but none show.
The prosecution stated witnesses would testify about Casto's violent nature with an ex-wife who will testify about having a physical dispute with Casto where he put a pillow over her head and other times when Casto pulled a gun on Ball to prevent her from leaving or to force her into a vehicle to go with him. One of the incidents happened a week or so before she was killed. However, the incidents were not reported to police, Lefebure said.
In his opening statement, defense attorney Bill Merriman said there has been a lot of interest in this case since 2014. People found out that Casto was one of the last people to see her alive so everyone was asking him about it.
"They think he knows where she is," he said of having a big spotlight on him.
He said Casto texted her six times starting the following morning at around 8 a.m.
"He doesn't hear anything from her," Merriman said adding Ball has had instances where she had "freaked out before."
Another possible suspect was identified who had dealings with Ball and even slashed four of her tires, but Casto was the one who ended up replacing the tires. The other suspect was tracked to a residence in Belpre where the subject tried to get out of a side window, Merriman said adding investigators were told to stop looking at this person in relation to this case.
Efforts were underway to make Casto look as bad as possible, Merriman said.
He wants the jury to look at the quality of the evidence presented in answering a number of questions about what happened to Ball as well as it has to be strong enough to overcome the presumption of innocence.
"Where was Cindy Ball shot and who shot her," Merriman said adding the prosecution knew about another possible suspect but failed to mention this person in their opening statements.
"All of the evidence that they have that they told you about, none of it tells you anything about the questions I just asked," he said. "I want them to answer those questions, but based on what they say the evidence is, they aren't there.
"He isn't the guy they are looking for, even though they put a spotlight on him. Have you ever watched a horse race, they put blinders on a horse so they keeping running straight and don't get distracted. I would say the investigation in this case has worn blinders from Oct. 23, 2014 to today. If they would take the blinders off, they might see (the other suspect) there."
Before the jury came into court, Merriman said that his client was offered two plea deals, one in June 2026 to plead to first-degree murder with mercy and the state would dismiss the other charge. On Oct. 20, they got another plea offer to pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and where the court could sentence him to between 10-30 years and the state would dismiss the remaining charge.
Casto turned down both deals, Merriman said.
Testimony resumes this morning.