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January 5, 2007

Biros’ family begs for mercy; clemency board holds hearing

By Matt Snyder

BROOKFIELD — At a clemency hearing Thursday, attorneys and family members of convicted murderer Kenneth Biros made a final plea to the Ohio Parole Board to spare his life.

Biros was found guilty of brutally murdering, robbing and sexually assaulting Tami Engstrom in 1991 after he offered to take her out for coffee from a Brookfield bar.

Prosecutors in the case talked Thursday of how Biros had “butchered” the body and revealed graphic images of his victim’s remains where he’d left them in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Defense attorney John Parker asked the board to have mercy on Biros. “Ken has admitted his guilt in this matter,” Parker said, describing the crime as “terrible.”

“But Ken Biros’ life has been much more than this one terrible crime,” Parker said. He described Biros as a hard-working man who had supported his family and gotten a college education despite mediocre grades in high school.

Biros tutored other prisoners while on death row and helped them get their GEDs, Parker said, and had led an otherwise crime-free life.

Biros’ mother, two of his sisters and his brother testified on his behalf, telling similar stories of a man who worked hard and helped his family, and also of a controlling and alcoholic father who they said had created an intense anger in Biros.

“I want to make it perfectly clear on behalf of Ken Biros and on behalf of his family that we are not making any excuses,” Parker said. He made the plea for life in prison rather than a death sentence.

Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins spoke about the 91 pre-mortem injuries suffered by Ms. Engstrom and on multiple lies he said Biros told police and while on trial.

Biros’ confession of events involved accidentally hitting Ms. Engstrom with a car and suffocating her when she made too much noise, mutilating her later in a fit of rage, Parker said.

Watkins said evidence contradicted this confession.

He showed images of blood spatter that he said suggested forceful trauma and added that evidence revealed a “relentless” and “unmerciful” attack, as well as torture.

Ms. Engstrom’s sister, Debi Heiss; her mother-in-law, Patricia Engstrom; and close friend, Sharon King, all spoke against Biros at the hearing.

Ms. Heiss described the days of her sister’s disappearance, describing Biros as a man who feigned concern and lied to the family, pretending to help them look for her.

“I am just trying to prove to you that Kenneth Biros is a barbaric, cold-blooded killer that did nothing but intentionally lie to everyone, from our family to law enforcement officials,” she said.

Patricia Engstrom described the death of Tami’s husband, Andy, and her own husband, Chuck, who had been taking care of the couple’s son after his mother’s murder. Both died from heart conditions which she blamed on the crime and Biros.

Parker made several pleas for mercy, including arguments that in today’s legal climate, Biros may not have been given a death sentence for his crimes.

He cited changing opinions on the death penalty and the possibility of sentencing someone to life in prison without parole, which at the time of Biros’ conviction was not an option.

Parole board chairwoman Cynthia B. Mausser said the board will make a recommendation first to Gov. Ted Strickland and that its report will be made public Wednesday.

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