In a recent turn of events in Zanesville, a man previously acquitted of assault charges in 2024 has now been found guilty of kidnapping and strangulation in an attack that occurred just months after his acquittal. According to the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office, Ian M. Hayes, 31, stood trial and was convicted on Wednesday. The jury, consisting of nine women and three men, delivered the verdict after hearing the case presented by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Litle.
Hayes' latest crime involved Christina Hopper, with whom he had a sexual relationship. A misplaced t-shirt at Hopper's home led to Hayes accusing her six-year-old son, resulting in a violent episode where Hopper was thrown to the ground and strangled in November. In her 911 call, which the jury heard, she expressed her belief that she was going to die. Hopper's children, who witnessed the assault, were left crying and distraught. Later, while in prison, Hayes convinced Hopper to change her stance on pressing charges against him. Yet, during the trial, prosecutors showcased Hopper's testimony as untruthful, with the jury siding with the more compelling evidence of the 911 call.
Despite Hayes' past with violent crime, including a 2019 conviction for burglary, his history didn't prevent him from initially escaping consequences in a 2024 case. The previous jury acquitted Hayes despite allegations that he had assaulted an elderly neighbor with dementia after she raised concerns about his methamphetamine dealing. However, this February, Hayes faced another trial, which swiftly resulted in a guilty verdict for possessing methamphetamines, resisting arrest, and obstruction of official business—leading to the maximum sentence handed down by Judge Gerald Anderson.
In the wake of the verdict, Litle emphasized the importance of the justice system stepping in when violent acts pose a broader danger to the community, saying, "The morals and standards of Muskingum County do not permit strangulation, kidnapping and violence in front of children." Hopper, however, had testified in Hayes' defense, but her credibility was ultimately undercut by the audio of her own 911 call and a phone call where Hayes asked her not to press charges. "Jurors saw through the lies and returned a verdict based on the truth of what happened," Litle stated through the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office, reinforcing the jury's rationale behind their decision.
Ian M. Hayes now faces up to twenty-one years in prison, pending sentencing. Reflecting on Hayes' lack of accountability and the severity of his actions, Litle remarked, "When a dangerous person like Hayes takes no responsibility for his actions and loses at trial, the community can expect this office to ask for a maximum, consecutive sentence in every instance," signaling a strong stance against violent crime in the community, according to the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office.
