Ohio Lawmakers Push Amanda Dean’s Law After Huron County Case: Increased Felony Penalties for Abuse of a Corpse

A recent Huron County criminal case has renewed public attention on how Ohio prosecutors handle some of the most disturbing conduct connected to homicide investigations: the destruction, concealment, or desecration of human remains. Following the sentencing of Frederick Reer in the Amanda Dean case, two Ohio state representatives announced proposed legislation known as “Amanda Dean’s Law,” aimed at increasing penalties for gross abuse of a corpse.

For families in communities like Norwalk and across Northeast Ohio, the issue is about dignity, accountability, and justice. For anyone under investigation, however, the story highlights something else that matters just as much: how quickly a single investigation can expand into multiple felony charges, each carrying its own penalties and long-term consequences.

At Patrick M. Farrell Co. L.P.A., our Cleveland criminal defense lawyers understand that when a case makes statewide headlines, it often influences how prosecutors and investigators approach similar cases throughout Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.

What Happened in Huron County

According to recent reporting, Amanda Dean, a 36-year-old mother of four, went missing in July 2017 from Townsend Township, located outside Norwalk in Huron County, Ohio. The case initially proceeded as a missing person investigation, but it later escalated as investigators developed evidence suggesting she had been killed.

Frederick Reer ultimately pleaded guilty to multiple charges connected with Dean’s death, including involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, and gross abuse of a corpse. Dean’s body has never been recovered, and authorities alleged efforts were made to clean the crime scene and dispose of evidence.

Following sentencing, state representatives announced a new bill, “Amanda Dean’s Law,” intended to increase felony penalties for abuse of a corpse and create higher-level felonies when the conduct involves dismemberment or concealment to obstruct justice.

Why This Case Matters Under Ohio Criminal Law

This story matters because it highlights a reality many Northeast Ohio defendants do not expect: even when the “main charge” is something like homicide, prosecutors often build cases by stacking additional felony allegations.

In serious investigations, it is common for the State to file multiple charges based on different theories, such as:

• A death-related offense (murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide)
• Evidence-related offenses (tampering, obstruction)
• Body-related offenses (abuse or gross abuse of a corpse)

These additional charges can drastically increase prison exposure, pressure defendants into plea negotiations, and shape how bond is set. They also change defense strategy, because each charge has separate legal elements the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

If you are being questioned or investigated, speaking with a Cleveland criminal defense lawyer early can prevent damaging mistakes before charges are even filed.

Ohio Laws and Felony Penalties for Abuse of a Corpse

In cases like this, multiple Ohio statutes may come into play. Depending on the facts, prosecutors may look at:

Abuse or Gross Abuse of a Corpse (O.R.C. § 2927.01)

Ohio’s abuse-of-a-corpse statute generally focuses on conduct that would outrage reasonable community or family sensibilities, including concealment, mistreatment, or desecration.

The news story matters because the proposed “Amanda Dean’s Law” is aimed at increasing felony levels and penalties, particularly where conduct involves dismemberment, mutilation, or intentional disfigurement, and where acts are committed to conceal a crime or obstruct an investigation.

What “Amanda Dean’s Law” Would Change 

While the case itself began in Huron County near Norwalk, the proposed legislation has statewide implications. “Amanda Dean’s Law” is designed to close what lawmakers describe as a penalty gap in Ohio’s current gross abuse of a corpse statute. If enacted, the bill would increase felony levels based on the nature of the conduct and whether it was tied to concealing another crime.

Key proposed changes include:

• Reclassifying abuse of a corpse that outrages reasonable family sensibilities as a fifth-degree felony
• Increasing penalties for gross abuse of a corpse to a fourth-degree felony
• Elevating the offense to a third-degree felony when the conduct involves dismemberment, mutilation, or intentional disfigurement
• Establishing a second-degree felony when those acts are committed to conceal a crime, obstruct justice, or impair a criminal investigation or prosecution

From a defense standpoint, this matters because felony-level enhancements can significantly increase sentencing exposure and may lead prosecutors to pursue more aggressive charging strategies in future investigations across Ohio, including Northeast Ohio.

Tampering With Evidence (O.R.C. § 2921.12)

Tampering charges are extremely common in major felony cases. They typically involve allegations that someone:

• Altered, destroyed, concealed, or removed evidence
• With purpose to impair its value or availability in an investigation or official proceeding

This can become one of the most aggressively prosecuted counts because it allows the State to argue “consciousness of guilt,” even when the underlying allegation is disputed.

Homicide-Related Charges (O.R.C. § 2903)

Depending on the theory, prosecutors may pursue murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, or related offenses. Each has different elements and penalties.

Because these charges carry life-changing consequences, anyone facing questioning should treat the situation as urgent and get counsel immediately from a criminal defense attorney Cleveland residents trust.

How These Cases Actually Move Through Court

High-profile felony cases usually follow a predictable process, but the details matter.

Arrest and Bond

After an arrest, bond may be set immediately or after a hearing. Prosecutors often argue for high bond based on:

• Severity of allegations
• Risk of flight
• Alleged obstruction or tampering

Arraignment

This is where the defendant is formally advised of charges and enters an initial plea. In Cleveland cases, this may occur in Cleveland Municipal Court (for certain stages) or proceed quickly toward the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court for felony prosecution.

Even when a case begins in a county like Huron County, it can still drive broader attention and enforcement trends across Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland prosecutions involving similar allegations.

Discovery

Discovery is where the defense obtains evidence, including:

• Police reports
• Witness statements
• Lab testing
• Digital records
• Forensic evidence

Motions (Especially Suppression)

This is often where cases are won or dramatically improved. Motions may challenge:

• Illegal searches
• Unlawful seizures
• Improper interrogations
• Warrant defects

Plea Negotiations

Many cases resolve here, but negotiations are heavily influenced by whether the defense has identified weaknesses in the State’s evidence.

Trial

If the case proceeds to trial, the State must prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt, and jurors are instructed to disregard emotion or headlines.

A defense lawyer in Cuyahoga County can make a major difference in how these stages unfold.

Common Defenses and Issues That Can Change the Case

Even when allegations sound overwhelming, the evidence often contains gaps. Common defense angles include:

• Lack of probable cause for arrest
• Illegal search or defective warrant
• Suppression motions that exclude key evidence
• Coerced statements or Miranda violations
• Weak forensic linkage between a suspect and alleged conduct
• Chain of custody errors
• Lab testing concerns and contamination
• Unreliable witnesses or inconsistent timelines

Prosecutors still have to prove the legal elements, not just the narrative.

This is why hiring a Cleveland criminal defense lawyer early is so important.

What to Do If You’re Under Investigation or Arrested

If police contact you about a homicide investigation, evidence concealment, abuse of a corpse allegations, or any felony case, take it seriously. Here are steps that protect you:

1. Do not “explain your side” without counsel. Investigators are trained to obtain statements they can use later.
2. Do not consent to searches. Politely say you do not consent and request a lawyer.
3. Do not delete messages or move items. That can trigger additional felony exposure.
4. Write down what happened immediately. Dates, names, and timelines matter.
5. Call a Cleveland criminal defense lawyer right away. Early intervention can change the entire direction of the case.

Why Hiring a Cleveland Criminal Defense Lawyer Early Matters

Our Cleveland criminal defense lawyers at Patrick M. Farrell Co. L.P.A. represent clients throughout Cuyahoga County and Northeast Ohio, including individuals facing serious felony investigations that involve allegations of concealment, destruction of evidence, or tampering.

The legal team at Patrick M. Farrell Co. L.P.A. builds personalized defense strategies for clients facing serious allegations, including homicide-related investigations, evidence tampering accusations, and felony-level offenses tied to concealment or obstruction.

If you’re searching online for a gross abuse of a corpse lawyer near me, it’s important to speak with a defense team that understands how these cases are handled in Cleveland courts and how prosecutors build these cases across Ohio.

Protect Your Rights Before the Case Builds Momentum

The Amanda Dean case in Huron County near Norwalk and the proposed “Amanda Dean’s Law” are reminders that Ohio criminal law is evolving, and prosecutors increasingly pursue harsher penalties for conduct connected to concealment, destruction of evidence, and abuse of human remains. But headlines do not equal proof, and criminal charges are not convictions. If you are being investigated, questioned, or accused, the steps you take early can affect everything that happens next, including bond, plea options, and trial outcomes. A strategic defense begins immediately, not after charges stack up. The sooner you have counsel, the sooner you can protect your rights and fight back.

If you’ve been arrested in Cleveland, Lakewood, or anywhere in Northeast Ohio, don’t wait. Call Patrick M. Farrell Co. L.P.A. at  216-661-5050 or request a free consultation now.

In cases involving allegations of concealment, tampering, or abuse of a corpse, the earlier we get involved, the more opportunities we have to challenge the evidence and protect your future. 

Text or Call: 216-661-5050 • Contact: Submit a Request • Email: cindy@patfarrelllaw.com

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