40 Years, 3 Children, 1 Deadly Injection: Custody Battle Turns Murderous

An Ohio woman's bitter custody battle with her ex-husband took a deadly turn, ending in a shocking murder that has left her behind bars for decades. What began as a fight over visitation rights escalated into a calculated plan involving a dangerous animal tranquilizer, ultimately leading to the fatal poisoning of her former spouse. Newly released dashcam footage and court documents have unveiled the chilling details of a crime that devastated a family and left three children without their father.

Dashcam Footage Reveals the Crime

The crime unfolded on April 24, 2022, when Timothy Hovanec, 36, arrived at his ex-wife Amanda Hovanec's Wapakoneta, Ohio, home to drop off their three daughters after a weekend visitation. According to reports, Amanda and her mother, Anita Green, were waiting outside the home as Timothy pulled into the driveway. After instructing the children to go inside the house, Amanda ambushed her ex-husband, wrestling him to the ground as she injected him with M-99, a powerful animal tranquilizer.

The attack was caught on Timothy's car's dashcam, which captured him shouting, "What the heck are you doing? Did you just assault me?" before Amanda subdued him, according to the New York Post. Federal prosecutors said Amanda held Timothy by the neck until he became unresponsive and later turned off his car's engine, which stopped the recording.

A Year of Premeditation

Court records revealed that Amanda had been planning the murder for over a year. She had initially considered hiring a hitman but ultimately settled on using M-99, which was supplied by her South African boyfriend, Anthony Theodorou. Prosecutors said the tranquilizer, which is up to 3,000 times more potent than morphine, was intended to kill Timothy within minutes.

Amanda later confessed to investigators that she disposed of Timothy's car in Dayton and buried his body in a wooded area near her home with the help of Theodorou and her mother, Anita Green. Anita apparently drove Amanda and Theodorou to the pre-dug grave site where Timothy's body was buried.

A Custody Battle Turned Deadly

The custody dispute between Amanda and Timothy began in 2021, shortly after Amanda filed for divorce following the couple's return from a two-year stint in South Africa. Despite court orders granting Timothy visitation rights, Amanda reportedly tried to block him from seeing their children. In early 2022, a judge ordered extended visitation for Timothy during the summer months. According to prosecutors, the murder occurred before that visitation period could begin.

U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko said in a statement, "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 unforgiveable," as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Ohio.

Sentencing and Aftermath

Amanda Hovanec was sentenced to 40 years in prison and ordered to pay over $2.1 million in restitution. Her boyfriend, Anthony Theodorou, was sentenced to 18 years for his role in the murder, including obtaining the tranquilizer and helping dispose of Timothy's body. Anita Green received a 10-year sentence for her role as an accessory.

This case remains a devastating reminder of the far-reaching consequences of domestic conflicts and the innocent lives impacted by such tragic events. For Timothy's family and friends, the hope remains that they will one day find peace and solace as they honor his memory.

References: Mom caught on dashcam fatally injecting ex-husband with tranquilizer during ugly custody battle | Ohio Woman Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Killing Husband with Controlled Substance