Pomeroy Man Indicted for Allegedly Murdering Father in Athens County

Pomeroy Man Indicted for Allegedly Murdering Father in Athens County

ATHENS, Ohio – A Pomeroy man has been charged with the murder of a Buchtel resident Brian Swart, his father.

According to a statement from the Athens County Prosecuting Attorney Keller J. Blackburn, Brian Hart, 32, of Albany, was indicted Monday by and Athens County Grand Jury in the death of Brian Swart, 54.

Hart is charged with aggravated murder, an unclassified felony, two counts of murder, also unclassified felonies, gross abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony, and having weapons while under disability, a third-degree felony.

According to the statement, ”Hart is accused of purposely causing his father’s death on Oct. 30 and/or committing the offense of felonious assault which would have led to Swart’s death.” Additionally, he also allegedly treated the corpse “in a way that would outrage reasonable community sensibilities,” according to the indictment.

An arraignment in the case is scheduled for Monday at 10 a.m. in Athens County Common Pleas Court.

The Athens County Prosecutor’s Office would like to thank First Assistant Prosecutor Meg Saunders, Chief Investigator Jay Barrett, Investigators Reuben Kittle and Trent Eskey, Data Analyst Lexi Gogel, Athens County Sheriff Rodney Smith and the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Nelsonville Police Chief Scott Fitch and the Nelsonville Police Department for their work on this case.