Shocking Dash Cam Footage Captures Final Moments in Custody Battle Gone Tragically Wrong
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the quiet town of Wapakoneta, Ohio, 37-year-old Amanda Hovanec has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for the premeditated murder of her estranged husband, Timothy Hovanec. The chilling attack, partially captured on a vehicle dash camera, has brought to light a disturbing tale of a custody battle that ended in tragedy.
A lethal injection and a calculated cover-up
On Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced that Hovanec had pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including distributing a controlled substance resulting in death. Prosecutors revealed that the motive behind this heinous act was Hovanec’s determination to prevent her husband from seeing their children.
The fatal day: April 24, 2022
According to court documents, the events unfolded on a spring afternoon when Timothy Hovanec dropped off his children at his wife’s residence. Unbeknownst to him, it would be the last time he would see his family.
In a shocking turn of events, Amanda Hovanec injected her husband with M-99, also known as Etorphine, a potent animal tranquilizer approximately 1,000 times stronger than morphine. The victim’s final moments were inadvertently recorded on the dash camera of his Volkswagen Tiguan.
Dash cam captures the victim’s last words
The affidavit supporting the criminal complaints against Hovanec detailed the harrowing audio captured by the dash cam. Timothy Hovanec can be heard saying, “What the heck are you doing? Did you just assault me? Get off of me.”
The footage then shows Amanda Hovanec forcibly restraining her husband until his body went limp on the driveway.
Investigators discovered that Hovanec did not act alone. Her lover, Anthony Theodorou, and her mother, Anita Green, were also implicated in the crime. Both have admitted to their involvement in either the murder or the disposal of Timothy Hovanec’s body.
Custody battle turns deadly
The roots of this tragedy can be traced back to 2020 when Amanda Hovanec initiated divorce proceedings. Despite court orders, she began denying her husband visitation rights with their three children.
The situation escalated in April 2022 when a judge ordered that Timothy Hovanec should become the residential parent and legal custodian for two months during the upcoming summer. This ruling appears to have been the catalyst for Amanda Hovanec’s drastic actions.
U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko didn’t mince words in her statement following the sentencing: “Hovanec’s violent and intentional actions were cold-blooded, calculated and cruel. Her extreme malevolence toward her husband and complete disregard for how his murder would affect their innocent children is incomprehensible and unforgivable.”
The aftermath
As the community grapples with the shocking nature of this crime, questions remain about the long-term impact on the Hovanec children, now left without both parents. This case serves as a grim reminder of how custody disputes can spiral into unthinkable tragedies.
The sentencing of Amanda Hovanec brings a measure of closure to this dark chapter, but the repercussions of her actions will undoubtedly be felt for years to come.