Death sentence upheld for Brunswick man convicted of murdering his mother

COLUMBUS, OH (WOIO) - The Ohio Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence of James Tench, the Brunswick man convicted of the 2013 murder of his mother.

In March 2016, Tench was convicted of aggravated murder, kidnapping and related offenses in the death of 55-year-old Mary Tench. He was sentenced to death the following month.

Prosecutors said a violent confrontation over the unauthorized use of Mary’s credit card led to her murder. She was found dead inside her car on Carquest Dr. in November 2013.

At his sentencing hearing, then 30-year-old James Tench begged a Medina County judge to spare his life. The judge was unmoved by his statement and sentenced him to death plus 49 years for his crimes.

He had previously been convicted of robbery charges, for which he received a four-year sentence.

Tench, who vowed to appeal the decision, made good on his word. The case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court of Ohio, which on Wednesday ruled the evidence of his guilt in his mother’s murder overwhelming.

Justices did, however, dismiss an aggravated robbery conviction in the case.

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