Grand jury will hear alleged killer's case

LIMA — An Allen County grand jury will determine whether or not Jacob Striff will stand trial on charges of murder in the shooting death earlier this month of Jeffery Paxton Jr.

Jacob Striff, 23, of Lima, appeared in Lima Municipal Court on Thursday and through his attorney, Steve Chamberlain of the Allen County Public Defenders Office, formally waived his constitutional right to a preliminary hearing.

Judge Kevin Smith ordered the case bound over the Allen County Common Pleas Court and continued Striff’s $750,000 bond.

Deputies from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office responded on the afternoon of Sept. 17 to a report of shots fired at 1820 Charledon Ave. in Perry Township. Upon their arrival deputies discovered Paxton, 41, of Lima, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to Lima Memorial Health System, where he was pronounced deceased.

Striff was taken into custody without incident. The investigation is ongoing, according to the sheriff’s office.