CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — An Ashville man has been sentenced following a lengthy investigation and jury trial stemming from a 2024 altercation that resulted in the death of another man.
James Tackett, 52, was sentenced this week in Pickaway County Common Pleas Court to six months in jail after being found guilty of assault, a lesser charge than those initially filed against him.
The case originated from a September 10, 2024, incident outside a residence on Long Street in Ashville involving 54-year-old Stacey Garman.
According to investigators, witnesses reported that Tackett punched Garman during an argument, causing him to fall backward and strike his head on the ground. Garman lost consciousness and was transported to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Tackett was initially charged with murder, voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, and assault as investigators continued to examine the circumstances surrounding Garman’s death.
During the proceedings, prosecutors ultimately dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge, and following a jury trial, Tackett was found guilty only of assault while being acquitted of the more serious homicide-related charges.
After ordering a pre-sentence investigation, the court sentenced Tackett this week to six months in jail for the assault conviction.
The case drew significant attention in Ashville, where residents and Garman’s family questioned the length of the investigation before charges were filed. Ashville police previously said the delay was necessary to conduct a thorough investigation with assistance from the Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office and the Pickaway County Prosecutor’s Office.
The sentence concludes a case that has been closely followed in the community for nearly two years.
