Raymond Voth, 34, appeared before District Court Judge Jan Satterfield Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023 in what was initially scheduled to be a preliminary hearing. As court convened, it was shared that a written plea agreement had been reached.
R. Voth was facing one count, murder in the second degree; unintentional but reckless, in the 2016 death of his seven-year-old daughter, Arianna Voth.
During proceedings, Judge Satterfield referenced psychotropic medications being taken by the defendant, asking if he had ever been declared mentally ill, to which the defendant said he had not. R. Voth also affirmed that he was taking the medication as directed and noted that it helps him think and understand more clearly.
Under the plea agreement reached, the charge of murder in the second degree, a level 2 person felony, was reduced to a level 5 person felony- involuntary manslaughter.
It was noted during proceedings that R. Voth was anticipated to be an A on the sentencing grid. Judge Satterfield shared that the sentencing range for a level five was between 122136 months and would be presumptive prison.
As part of the plea agreement reached, the defense is permitted the ability to file departure motions, and argue both a durational and dispositional departure.
R. Voth waived his right to preliminary hearing and trial, entering a guilty plea to the charge of Involuntary Manslaughter, committed recklessly.
When the Judge asked what he had done that was reckless, R. Voth shared that he had taken his daughter down to the river when there was running water and didn’t have good judgement. He affirmed that the water was high and he had taken her to the belly of the river. R. Voth affirmed that he had ultimately did something that, given his daughter’s age and physical abilities, had endangered her life and resulted in her death.
Judge Satterfield found R. Voth guilty of the level 5-person felony in the unintentional, but reckless death of Arianna Voth.
R. Voth signed and acknowledged documentation regarding his duty to register. He was later sentenced to 130 months with the Department of Corrections, which was slated to begin in June of last year, as it was to run consecutive with another case.
Co-defendant Lindsay Ritz pled no contest on Feb. 3 to attempted involuntary manslaughter. Following the plea agreement, she fell within the sentencing grid box of 7G, presumptive probation. Ritz was granted 24 months reporting probation to be supervised by community corrections.
A complete article can be found in the March 1, 2023 issue of The Eureka Herald, which is available for purchase at The Eureka Herald.
