St. Paris woman found guilty of murder in death of missing Champaign County woman
Feb. 25—UPDATED: 5:40 p.m.
A Champaign County woman was found guilty Thursday afternoon of murder in the death of a missing Champaign County woman.
Valerie Rider, 52, was found guilty of murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, gross abuse of a corpse and three counts of possession of criminal tools. She was found not guilty of aggravated murder.
The jury went into deliberation around 11:15 a.m. on Thursday and delivered a verdict around 5:30.
Rider is scheduled to be sentenced on April 1.
EARLIER
The jury for the murder trial for a St. Paris woman charged in the death of a missing Champaign County woman is now deliberations.
Valerie Rider, 52, is on trial in Champaign County Common Pleas Court on charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, gross abuse of a corpse and three counts of possession of criminal tools, court records show.
The jury went into deliberation around 11:15 a.m. on Thursday.
The charges stem from the October death of Whitney Hostler, 25, who was reported missing on Oct. 1, 2020, after she had not been in contact with family or friends, and was last seen on Sept. 30, according to the Champaign County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office found Hostler's body in a wooded ravine near Kiser Lake Road. The investigation into Hostler's death led them to Valerie and Rodney Rider, who were arrested Oct. 2.
Day four of the trial started with closing arguments by Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Talebi, followed by Defense Attorney Gregory Harvey.
Talebi began by describing the offenses against Rider and how he believes the evidence proves those offenses. He said she "committed" and "admitted" to the offenses because of how and what she used to place Hostler's body in a duffle bag, and how she moved and disposed of her body. He said, "the evidence shows that's exactly what occurred."
On the charges of aggravated murder and murder, Talebi said Valerie Rider "purposely caused the death of Whitney" because he said it was "deliberate and intentional."
Harvey started his closing argument with one question — Who killed Whitney? He said they found out how, where and what killed her, but that "it hinges on a who" killed her. He said he believes the evidence doesn't show that Rider committed the murder.
Harvey said in Rider's testimony at her own trial on Wednesday, she said that she was trying to deescalate the situation between her son Randy Rider and Hostler, and that she was just trying to stick up for her family.
Randy Rider and Hostler have a two-year old child together and had been living with his parents, according to his testimony.
Both her husband, Rodney Rider, and her son, Randy Rider, testified at the trial on Monday.
Rodney Rider is also charged in the same crime. He pleaded guilty in November to tampering with evidence, obstructing justice and possession of criminal tools, court records show. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 8. He remains in the Tri-County Regional Jail with a $500,000 cash-only bond.
The case is being heard by Champaign County Common Pleas Court Judge Nick Selvaggio.
