Alicia Ritenour Found Guilty Of First Degree Murder, Child Endangerment

By Eduardo Zamarripa, CRI Weekly News

The jury found Alicia Ritenour guilty of first degree murder, and child endangerment resulting in death, in the death of her 18-month old daughter Ava Ritenour.

The jury reached a verdict on Wednesday afternoon after deliberating since Monday at 4:05 p.m. Alicia Ritenour’s sentencing will be decided on January 2, 2015 at 11 a.m.

On Friday, Jan. 24, officers found 18-month old Ava Ritenour deceased after responding to a 911 call at the Southern Hills Apartment Complex.

According to the affidavit released by the Oskaloosa Police Department, the infant had been deceased “for a significant period of time” when they arrived on scene. A witness said it heard a loud thump during the middle of the night, of the previous night, according to the affidavit.

An autopsy was performed at the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner on the body of Ava Ritenour on Jan. 25 and 26. It was determined that the cause of death had been trauma to the head. The manner of death was classified as a homicide, according to the police report.

You can read a detailed summary of the trial that began on Thursday, Nov. 13 right below.

Thursday, Nov. 13

Mahaska County Attorney Amy Zenor began the trial on Thursday (Nov. 13) with the state’s opening remarks. Zenor said the defendant showed “extreme indifference to human life” and has given the authorities different stories on what happened on Jan. 24. According to Zenor, Alicia Ritenour became less interested in her child, kept her apartment messy and said Ritenour “wasn’t happy with her life.”

The defendant’s attorney, Michael Adams told the jury in his opening remarks “you’re not deciding whether she was a good mother.” Adams said there are no eye witness accounts or forensic evidence to prove the defendant murdered her daughter. Adams also said that there was only one person that ever raised their fist on Ava Ritenour, and that was Logan Cavan.

Jacob Rauch, 23, was the first witness to take the stand. Rauch was Alicia Ritenour’s boyfriend at the time and had moved in with her a few months before Ava Ritenour passed away. At the same time that Rauch moved in, Logan Cavan, 20, also moved in with Rauch and Alicia Ritenour. Rauch referred to Cavan as his “best friend” and vice versa. Neither Rauch or Cavan paid rent at Alicia Ritenour’s apartment.

Rauch said Alicia Ritenour was “for the most part, a pretty good mom,” but added that things changed dramatically because Alicia Ritenour wanted to spend more time with Rauch. Rauch described Alicia Ritenour as distant, more frustrated and easily overwhelmed. Rauch said Alicia Ritenour wanted Cavan to move out because she wanted more attention from Jacob.

On the night before Ava Ritenour passed away, Rauch said that himself, Alicia Ritenour, Cody Ritenour (Alicia Ritenour’s brother), Cody’s boyfriend, Abigail Parker (Alicia Ritenour’s cousin), Abigail Parker’s girlfriend, and Cavan, all were hanging out and “smoking pot,” with the exception of Cavan, Abigail Parker and Abigail Parker’s girlfriend.

On the morning of Jan. 24, the day Ava Ritenour passed away, Rauch said he woke up to go to the bathroom and then was going to check on Ava Ritenour. Alicia Ritenour told Rauch that Ava Ritenour was sleeping and asked him not to check on her. Rauch and Alicia Ritenour had sexual intercourse, and Rauch then fell asleep.

Rauch then woke up to Alicia Ritenour and her mom Tina screaming at each other. Rauch went into Ava Ritenour’s room and saw her laying on the floor. Tina Ritenour asked Rauch to call 911, which Rauch did. Joshua Crouse, a paramedic at Mahaska Health Partnership and a certified medical examiner, arrived on scene.

Crouse took the stand after Rauch and said Ava Ritenour had been deceased for an unknown period of time when he arrived and had “obvious signs of death.” Crouse said Alicia Ritenour told him Ava Ritenour woke up at 8 a.m. that morning, had breakfast, and took a nap around 11 a.m.

After leaving the scene, Crouse inspected Ava Ritenour and felt several fractures in her skull. At that time, Crouse notified the Medical Examiner’s office.

Oskaloosa Police Department Lieutenant Russell VanRenterghem was the first person at the scene on Jan. 24 and took the stand after Crouse. When he arrived, VanRenterghem took over chest compressions for 1-2 minutes (Tina Ritenour was performing chest compressions when he arrived), but stopped after Crouse declared Ava Ritenour had no pulse.

VanRenterghem said he overheard Tina Ritenour blaming the doctor’s office for the passing of Ava Ritenour. Ava Ritenour had not been feeling well and had an appointment scheduled for Jan. 23, but Tina Ritenour said the doctor’s office cancelled the appointment.

VanRenterghem added Alicia Ritenour’s demeanor at the scene was “very strange.” VanRenterghem said Alicia Ritenour did not seem upset and was “texting” on her phone. Van Renterghem also said Cavan was sitting on the couch and “didn’t seem to have a demeanor” and was “kind of like a lump.”

Cavan took the stand next. Cavan said he met Alicia Ritenour, through his ex-girlfriend, when she was pregnant in September of 2012. Cavan said he moved into Alicia Ritenour’s apartment with Rauch because it was a place to “hang out with my buddy.” Cavan said everything was “alright” at first but then started going “downhill.” Cavan said Ritenour was “so infatuated with Jacob” and Cavan “rarely” got to see Rauch even though they lived in the same apartment.

Cavan also said Ava Ritenour was not getting the attention she needed, and that Alicia Ritenour would get upset when Cavan would tell her to take care of Ava Ritenour.

In regards to the incident mentioned by the defendant’s attorney, Adams, where he raised his fist on Ava Ritenour, Cavan said he did that in a joking manner.

In his testimony, Rauch said Cavan once told Ava Ritenour “shut the f**k up” and added, “all she f***ing does is cry.” In his testimony, Cavan denied he ever said that.

Oskaloosa Police Lieutenant Troy Boston was the last witness to take the stand on Thursday. Boston arrived at the scene at Southern Hills Apartment Complex at about 2:25 p.m. Boston said he heard the same story Alicia Ritenour gave Crouse. Ava Ritenour woke up at 8 a.m. that morning, had breakfast, and took a nap around 11 a.m.

Boston followed Crouse to the hospital and after learning about the fractures on Ava Ritenour’s skull, contacted the Department of Criminal Investigation, and got an autopsy.

The following day, on Jan. 25, Boston said that Alicia Ritenour gave a different story on what happened on Jan. 24. Boston said Alicia Ritenour told him she got up at 7:30 a.m., threw a bottle in Ava Ritenour’s room, and drove Abigail Parker, 15, to school. When she returned, Alicia Ritenour went to bed and didn’t check on Ava Ritenour.

Boston added that in the deposition on Oct. 21, Alicia Ritenour said that on Jan. 23, the night before Ava Ritenour passed away, she had heard a loud thump while taking a shower. Boston said this caught his attention because this detail had not been mentioned until that moment.

Boston, who has been a part of the investigation, also had an Oskaloosa Police Department officer check for Facebook posts on Alicia Ritenour’s Facebook from December 1, 2013 to Jan. 25. Boston mentioned a specific post on Jan. 20 where Alicia Ritenour posted a Facebook status in which she said that everywhere she steps there’s “piss” and said “my life’s like a big ball of s**t.”

The defendant’s attorney, Adams, reminded the jury that you can’t equate a Facebook post to a person’s emotional stage, and that there’s no way of knowing if Alicia Ritenour posted that status. Adams also asked Boston if maybe the reason Alicia Ritenour gave him different stories was because she didn’t know what had happened and because she was under marijuana use.

Boston said “no” and added that Alicia Ritenour did not provide reasonable explanations for what had happened. Boston said in his experience, when someone loses a child, that individual is willing to help. Boston said Ritenour did not want to help.

Boston also followed up with Tina Ritenour’s comments on Ava Ritenour missing a doctor’s appointment. Boston said the doctor’s office said the appointment was cancelled by Alicia Ritenour because her car had broken down.

That testimony concluded the first day of the trial.

Friday, Nov. 14

Alicia Ritenour was the last of seven individuals to take the stand. Alicia Ritenour talked about her relationship with Jacob Rauch and Logan Cavan, and described the day of Ava Ritenour’s passing.

On Rauch, Alicia Ritenour said “I thought we got along pretty well.” On Cavan, Alicia Ritenour said the two didn’t really have a relationship and were not friends.

Ritenour talked about her parenting. She said she was very proud of her daughter and added, “I’m not gonna say I was a perfect mom.” Her attorney, Michael Adams, asked her about the state’s allegations that she had “inconsistent” stories in the interviews she provided.

Alicia Ritenour said “she was really ticked off” that the authorities kept asking her questions instead of trying to revitalize Ava Ritenour. Alicia Ritenour added that she was going through a lot and acknowledged giving different information to the authorities, but said she tried to revoke some of her comments once she realized she had provided the wrong information.

“I don’t know how someone is supposed to deal with this,” Alicia Ritenour said.

Alicia Ritenour also said she expressed concerns about Cavan on her second interview on Jan. 31, because she spoke to her neighbors Ashley Parks and Zachary Beason the day of Ava Ritenour’s funeral. Beason and Parks told Alicia Ritenour about an incident in which Cavan clenched his fist and raised it towards Ava Ritenour saying “shut the f**k up” and “all she f***ing does is cry.”

In his testimony on Thursday, Rauch said Beason told him about the incident, and Rauch then told Alicia Ritenour. Alicia Ritenour denied Rauch telling her about the incident and said that’s why she expressed her concerns about Cavan to the authorities.

On the day of Ava Ritenour’s passing, Jan. 24, Alicia Ritenour said she woke up and put a bottle in Ava Ritenour’s room before driving Abigail Parker, her cousin, to school. Alicia Ritenour said that when she returned from driving Parker to school, Cavan was sleeping on the couch with a pink blanket (Ava Ritenour was found deceased with a “vanilla-colored” blanket, a blanket that the defense claims was typically used by Cavan).

Alicia Ritenour further discussed her interactions with the authorities and added that blaming the mother was the easy way out.

“I felt wronged, like they didn’t want to do their job,” Alicia Ritenour said.

Alicia Ritenour said she felt guilt for trusting Rauch and Cavan around Ava Ritenour.

Alicia Ritenour testimony will continue on Monday at 9 a.m., as the state will continue its cross-examination.

But Alicia Ritenour was not the only individual to take the stand on Friday. Earlier, the state called Dr. Michelle Catellier to the stand. Catellier is an associate medical examiner for the state of Iowa, and performed an autopsy on Ava Ritenour on Jan. 25.

Catellier described the injuries inflicted on Ava Ritenour.

“There was significant injury on the head,” Catellier said.

Catellier said that based on the fractures she examined, she estimated at least four to five blows to the head. Catellier also explained that determining a time of death is a very difficult. She went on to say that Ava Ritenour could have been deceased from six to 24 hours before she was found.

Catellier also described the force used as “excessive and extreme,” and added that the fractures she found were equivalent to the fractures she would find in a motor vehicle accident.

Earlier on Friday, Agent Don Schnitker testified as well. Schnitker is the lead agent of the investigation and works for the Department of Criminal Investigation.

Schnitker interviewed Alicia Ritenour on three separate occasions and said he found “inconsistencies” with her story. Specifically, Schnitker said Alicia Ritenour gave different stories on what she did the morning of the passing of Ava Ritenour. On one interview, Alicia Ritenour said she put a bottle in Ava Ritenour’s room before driving Abigail Parker to school, in another interview, Alicia Ritenour told Schnitker she fed Ava Ritenour after returning from driving Parker to school.

In one interview, Alicia Ritenour also denied having sexual intercourse with Jacob Rauch the morning of the passing of Ava Ritenour, and in another interview, Alicia Ritenour confirmed having sex with Rauch.

Schnitker added that his team investigated Alicia Ritenour’s phone and found several incoming and outgoing calls from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 24, the day of Ava Ritenour’s passing. He also said there were about 10-12 text messages between Alicia Ritenour and her mom, Tina Ritenour. Because of Alicia Ritenour’s cell phone provider, the authorities were not able to read the text messages or listen to the incoming and outgoing calls.

Schnitker also referenced negative posts published on Alicia Ritenour’s Facebook page. The defendant’s attorney, Michael Adams, reminded the jury that no one can be certain Alicia Ritenour published those posts herself. On Thursday, the state referenced a negative post on Alicia Ritenour’s Facebook post. Adams said the post referenced an Eminem song called “Run Rabbit Run.”

Catellier and Schnitker concluded the state’s presentation of evidence.

The defense then called on Abigail Parker.

Parker, Alicia Ritenour’s cousin, described Ritenour as her “sister” and said Alicia Ritenour is a good mother. Parker had temporarily moved into Alicia Ritenour’s apartment because her dad was working out of town. Alicia Ritenour would drive Parker to school.

Parker also spoke about Logan Cavan. Parker said Cavan was not around Ava Ritenour very much and referred to him as a “very temperamental person.” Parker said Cavan would get upset whenever he was asked to do chores around the house.

Parker also said that Alicia Ritenour checked on Ava Ritenour and put a bottle in Ava’s room before driving Parker to school on the day Ava Ritenour passed away.

The state then cross examined Parker and said Parker had told the police that Rauch and Cavan both were “incredible” with Ava Ritenour. Assistant Attorney General Susan Krisko pointed out that Parker told the police that Alicia Ritenour did not check on Ava Ritenour before driving her to school on Jan. 24, and that she confirmed that Alicia Ritenour would sometimes call Ava “little bitch.”

The defense then called on Megan Carmer, and Michael Gaarder, both family friends of the Ritenours.

Carmer said Alicia Ritenour was a “good mother” and that she was always very careful and protective with Ava Ritenour. Carmer also said she had never heard of Rauch and did not know he was in a relationship with Alicia Ritenour. Gaarder said that Alicia Ritenour parented Ava Ritenour “very well.”

The defense then called on Ashley Parks and Zachary Beason. Parks and Beason lived in Apt. 221, right across from Alicia Ritenour.

Beason talked about an incident in which Cavan clenched his fist and raised it towards Ava Ritenour saying “shut the f**k up” and “all she f***ing does is cry.” Beason said Cavan did not hit Ava Ritenour and said that’s the only time he saw Cavan do that. Beason told Rauch about the incident. Parker confirmed seeing Cavan raise his fist towards Ava Ritenour as well.

Monday, Nov. 17

Alicia Ritenour began her testimony on Friday (Nov. 14). The trial picked up on Monday with Alicia Ritenour being cross-examined by the state.

Assistant Attorney General Susan Krisko asked Alicia Ritenour about the different versions she offered the police in the three interviews she gave. Krisko asked Alicia Ritenour about Joshua Crouse’s testimony, a paramedic at Mahaska Health Partnership at the time, in which Crouse said Alicia Ritenour told him she had fed Ava Ritenour cereal upon returning from driving her cousin Abigail Parker to school. This has been a disputed detail throughout the course of the trial. Alicia Ritenour testified on Friday that she fed Ava Ritenour before driving Parker to school.

Alicia Ritenour responded to Krisko by saying she didn’t remember what she had told Crouse and reminded the court several times that she has “very bad memory.”

Krisko then questioned Alicia Ritenour about telling the authorities that Ava Ritenour would typically go to bed around 9 p.m. and wake up at around 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. Krisko asked Alicia Ritenour whether it would have been unusual for her to feed Ava Ritenour before driving Parker to school.

“No, that would not have been unusual,” Alicia Ritenour said.

Krisko questioned Alicia Ritenour on what she told the authorities about the night before Ava Ritenour passed away. In an interview on Jan. 31, Alicia Ritenour said Jacob Rauch did not check in on Ava Ritenour that evening. Rauch said in his testimony last Thursday (Nov. 13) that he did check in on Ava Ritenour.

But in an interview with the police after the deposition on Oct. 27, Alicia Ritenour said Rauch did go in to check on Ava Ritenour.

Krisko also asked Alicia Ritenour if she left the shower after hearing a “loud bang” to check on Ava Ritenour the evening before her passing. Alicia Ritenour said she “didn’t remember.”

Throughout the cross examination, Krisko asked Alicia Ritenour several times to read part of the transcripts of the interviews she provided the authorities. On multiple occasions, Alicia Ritenour said “I don’t remember saying that.”

Krisko also questioned Alicia Ritenour about the vanilla-colored blanket covering Ava Ritenour when her body was found. On Friday, Alicia Ritenour said in her testimony that Logan Cavan was on the floor covered with a vanilla-colored blanket that belonged to Alicia’s grandparents before driving Parker to school. When Alicia Ritenour returned to the apartment, she said Cavan was now on the couch covered with a pink blanket.

Krisko said Alicia Ritenour never mentioned Cavan using a different blanket in her three interviews with the authorities.

“I have a bad memory. I’m really trying here,” Alicia Ritenour said.

Krisko also asked Alicia Ritenour about a specific Facebook post on her page that was referenced last Thursday. The post said that everywhere she steps there’s “piss” and said “my life’s like a big ball of s**t.” The defendant’s attorney, Michael Adams, said on Friday, and again on Monday, that the post references an Eminem song called “Run Rabbit Run.”

Adams asked Alicia Ritenour why she posted that quote, and the defendant said she likes Eminem and likes the song.

Adams also asked Alicia Ritenour whether she disputed the accuracy of the transcripts of the interviews she gave the police, Alicia Ritenour responded “yes.”

After Alicia Ritenour left the stand and after the jury was dismissed, Adams made a motion for a judgment of acquittal. This means Adams was asking the court to clear Alicia Ritenour of both of her charges claiming that the state has not proven she is guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The judge denied the motion, saying there is is substantial evidence on record.

The defense rested and all the evidence for the case has now been submitted.

The state and the defense presented their closing arguments on Monday afternoon.

Assistant Attorney General Susan Krisko presented the state’s closing arguments. Krisko said the state does not have to prove time of death, whether Alicia Ritenour loved her daughter, or whether Alicia Ritenour planned to kill Ava Ritenour (because Ava Ritenour is under 14 years old). She said the state has direct and circumstantial evidence that proves Alicia Ritenour is guilty of murder in the first degree and child endangerment.

Krisko said Alicia Ritenour was unhappy with her life and referenced a Facebook post in which Alicia Ritenour said her “life was like a big ball of s**t.” Krisko also said that testimonies from Jacob Rauch, Logan Cavan, Zachary Beason and Abigail Parker were consistent in saying that Alicia Ritenour was a good mom, but that things changed in the weeks that preceded Ava Ritenour’s passing. Krisko added that Alicia Ritenour was obsessed with Rauch and that became the focus in her life.

“This is the result of her ball of s**t life. (Her) daughter’s dead,” Krisko said.

Krisko also questioned the inconsistencies in Alicia Ritenour’s testimony.

Defense Attorney Michael Adams responded to the state and gave the defense’s closing arguments. Adams reminded the jury that the “burden of persuasion is on the state” and added that “the state’s theory, the state’s case, is flawed.”

Adams pointed out inconsistencies in Rauch’s testimony. Adams said Rauch originally told the authorities that Alicia Ritenour was a good mom, that she “did her own thing,” and that Parker always slept at the couch in the apartment. Adams added that Rauch told the court on Thursday that Alicia Ritenour neglected Ava Ritenour, that Alicia Ritenour was “obsessed” with him,” and that Cavan and Parker took turns sleeping on the couch.

Adams added that Cavan never liked Alicia Ritenour’s parenting and referenced an incident in which Cavan clenched his fist and raised it towards Ava Ritenour saying “shut the f**k up” and “all she f***ing does is cry.” The incident happened when Beason and Ashley Parks, Alicia Ritenour’s neighbors, were baby-sitting Ava Ritenour.

Adams said that Cavan has also had inconsistencies in his statements. Adams reminded the jury that Oskaloosa Police Lieutenant David Boston testified and said Beason told the authorities about the incident with Cavan. Boston asked Cavan about the incident and Cavan denied it. But on court last Thursday (Nov. 13), Cavan admitted saying that to Ava Ritenour, but said he did so in a joking manner.

Adams added that Parker said Cavan hated being woken up, never helped around the house and was very hostile. Adams said that there is only one individual who had motive and has been seeing being aggressive towards Ava Ritenour and that’s Cavan.

In regards to Alicia Ritenour’s “inconsistent statements,” Adams said they are inconsistent, but said Alicia Ritenour didn’t have a chance to mourn her child and asked the jury: “But what do they prove?”

Adams concluded by saying this case is like a shoe, “it does not fit,” and there’s no refund.

The state then had an opportunity for rebuttal.

Krisko said that Cavan was an “a**hole and a slug,” but said that didn’t prove anything. Krisko added that nobody ever openly admits a crime when they’re on the stand and reminded the jury of Alicia Ritenour’s “inconsistent” stories.

After both sides presented their closing arguments, the jury was dismissed to begin deliberations.

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