Amish Woman’s Murder: Samuel Hochstetler Makes First Court Appearance; Victim’s Father Speaks

Samuel L. Hochstetler, charged with murder in Amish woman Rosanna Kinsinger’s death, made his first court appearance yesterday. From WCHS:

POMEROY, Ohio (WCHS) — A Pomeroy courtroom was packed with members of Amish community as an unusually disturbing murder case advanced though Ohio’s court system.

Samuel Hochstetler, 18, is accused of killing 28-year-old Rosanna Kinsinger, of Pomeroy.

Hochstetler was dressed in an orange jail uniform during Tuesday’s preliminary hearing, a much different look than when his arrest shocked Meigs County and its Amish community.

The judge had an interpreter who speaks Pennsylvania Dutch on standby, but the service wasn’t needed.

Rosanna Kinsinger was found dead in her home on March 13. Authorities investigating her death deemed it suspicious, and after weeks of investigation, arrested Hochstetler on May 5th.

More from the report. As far as case-related news, it looks like the main point is Hochstetler waiving his right to a preliminary hearing, and the case moving forward:

Hochstetler waived his right to a preliminary hearing, in effect conceding the state had probable cause to send the case to common pleas court and a grand jury.

Prosecutors expect to present charges to a grand jury before the end of the month.

As noted, there was a sizeable Amish presence in court.

Rosanna Kinsinger’s father speaks

Andrew Colegrove of WSAZ spoke with Rosanna’s father Moses Kinsinger, and shares what he learned in the video report below.

Moses Kinsinger shared that (quoting the WSAZ report) “Rosanna was an outgoing, friendly person who liked being around people, and her death was shocking.”

As for Rosanna’s relationship with Hochstetler: “He says he was not aware of any problems between his daughter and the suspect.”

Also, quoting Colegrove again, Moses Kinsinger said that “he hopes Hochstetler is repentant, the family wants to forgive him, and through God there is forgiveness.”

Here’s the video report by WSAZ:

The other minor detail in this report is that Hochstetler is being held at a jail in Noble County, after previously being held in Gallia County. For what it’s worth, a commenter had suggested that Meigs County did not have sufficient jail facilities thus explaining why he’s being held outside the county.

And here is my video on the case from last week shortly after news of Hochstetler’s arrest emerged:

UPDATE: here is the full, roughly 6-minute video of the court proceedings via Court TV: