Man to stand trial for homicide
A 39-year-old Elizabeth man charged in the beating death of a 62-year-old Washington County man was ordered to stand trial for homicide following a preliminary hearing Wednesday. Orville Trail is charged with criminal homicide, aggravated assault, robbery and theft by unlawful taking following the death of Ira Wyne of New Eagle, police said.
Police said Trail used several objects from Wyne’s home, including a candelabra and a vase, to beat Wyne to death.
Wyne’s body was found in his 444 First Ave. residence Nov. 27 and was pronounced dead at 8:53 p.m., according to a report from the office of Washington County Coroner S. Timothy Warco.
Warco said the cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma to the head, and ruled the manner of death as homicide.
According to police, Trail told investigators that he beat Wyne because the well-known antiques dealer allegedly made sexual advances toward him.
After beating Wyne, Trail fled the residence in a box truck owned by Wyne that was later recovered behind a bar on Route 51, police said.
Police found Trail hiding under a bed covered in blood at his Elizabeth home more than 10 hours after Wyne’s death, officials said.
Trail remains in the Washington County Prison without bond.