Justice for Krista: Sypher convicted on on both counts

By Patrick Lynn

Jason Sypher was found guilty on Wednesday of murdering his wife and hiding her corpse.

Sypher, 44, is now facing life in prison.

A 12-person jury convicted Sypher on Oct. 23, following an eight-day trial and less than two hours of deliberation. Portage County Circuit Court Judge Thomas B. Eagon presided.

The case was tried by Assistant Attorney General Annie Jay and Portage County District Attorney Louis Molepske, with assistance from Paralegal Rochelle Ederer.

Sypher reported his wife, Krista, as missing a week after she disappeared in March 2017. Her remains have never been found. The investigation, spearheaded by the Plover Police Department, lasted about 18 months, with several officers involved testifying at trial.

Evidence presented at trial included K9 detection of human remains around the Sypher home, and in Jason Sypher’s truck, video surveillance of Jason Sypher throwing away Krista’s belongings in public dumpsters in the days after she went missing. Krista’s friends also testified that she said her husband should be a suspect if she ever disappeared.

Both Jason and Krista were unfaithful, and the marriage was violent at times, according to testimony provided at trial, and Krista was interested in pursuing a divorce.

Molepske argued the evidence pointed to Jason Sypher killing Krista on or about March 13, 2017—the last date her phone was used, and exactly seven days before Sypher filed the missing person’s report at PPD.

Jason Sypher did not testify in his defense.

“This verdict emphasizes that killing a person over marital infidelity or to control a spouse in a domestic violence setting is an intentional homicide and will not be tolerated by the people of Portage County,” Molepske said following the verdict. “Krista Sypher was a mother of three children when the defendant killed her and then hid her body simply because she wanted to get a divorce and be happy.”

Molepske called Krista’s murder a “senseless act of violence” that has “forever scarred [Jason Sypher’s] children and Krista’s family.”

Molepske also said law enforcement who investigated the case “did an exceptional job in speaking for Krista and bringing her justice.”

Sypher returns to court for sentencing on Oct. 28.