`Murder suspects may face death`

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Grand jury indicts Worley, Burrows in double murder

By Erin Remai
Herald Staff Writer

Two men indicted Thursday by the Trumbull County Grand Jury could face the death penalty if they are found guilty of killing a Hubbard Township couple earlier this month.

Scott Burrows, 19, of 3447 Broadway Ave., Hubbard Township, and Mark A. Worley, 21, of Youngstown, both pleaded not guilty to stabbing to death Dorothy M. London, 74, and kidnapping and killing her husband Charles London, 75, after allegedly breaking into the couple’s 3441 Broadway Ave. home on Dec. 16.

Both were arraigned on two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary by Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge Andrew D. Logan. Both men are being held without bond in Trumbull County Jail.

Burrows and Worley are accused of stabbing Mrs. London to death, kidnapping and killing London, burglarizing the couple’s home and stealing their two cars.

According to the grand jury’s report, Burrows and Worley killed London by beating him, shooting him repeatedly with a pellet gun and stabbing him. Worley and Burrows allegedly dumped London’s body into the Mahoning River near the West End Bridge in Youngstown; his body was recovered last Wednesday.

Prosecutor Dennis Watkins said the grand jury was in session all day Monday to prepare the special report which was presented Tuesday.

The grand jury listed seven specifications on the two charges of aggravated murder. Specifications, or aggravating circumstances, must be proved under state law before someone convicted of murder can be executed.

The specifications accuse Burrows and Worley of killing the Londons during the commission of burglary, robbery and kidnapping.

Watkins said proving only one of those specifications is sufficient for the accused killers to be executed if they are convicted of the murders.

“It’s up to the jury to decide the fate of the individuals,” he said. Logan said Worley and Burrows have the option of deciding later whether they will be tried before a jury or a panel of three judges.

During their arraignments, Burrows and Worley told Logan that they fully understood the potential penalties behind each charge.

Anthony Consoldane of the Ohio Public Defender’s Office, representing Burrows, and attorneys James S. Gentile and Louis Defabio, Youngstown, representing Worley, would not comment on their clients’ case.

Two of the Londons’ children, Carol London-Nuth of Brookfield and Paul London of Boardman, Ohio, were present during the arraignments. While they declined to comment on the case, they thanked Hubbard Township police, fire and rescue squads and the county prosecutors for their work on the case.

Both Burrows and Worley are scheduled in court for pretrial hearings Tuesday .

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