Murder of Justin Back

On January 28, 2014, 18-year-old Justin Michael Back (February 13, 1995 – January 28, 2014) was murdered in Waynesville, Warren County, Ohio. US. Austin Gregory Myers (born January 4, 1995) and Timothy E. Mosley (born October 11, 1994) were convicted of murdering Back at his family home in order to steal a safe from the house. The case received national media attention because of the discrepancy in sentencing of the two young offenders.

On the morning of January 28, 2014, Myers and Mosley purchased septic enzymes, ammonia, septic tank cleaner and rubber gloves. They then drove to Back's home and arrived around 1:00 p.m. The plan was for Myers to distract Back while Mosley strangled him with the garrote. Mosley armed himself with the garrote as well as a six-inch pocketknife. Myers knocked on the door of the family home and Back let the pair in. The three men talked for a while and afterwards Back went to the kitchen. Seeing the opportunity, Mosley attacked Back from behind and attempted to strangle him, while Myers held Back from the front. Back fought against them and the three men struggled, resulting in all of them falling down onto the kitchen floor. Realizing the wire was wrapped around Back's chin instead of his neck, Myers notified Mosley. A panicked Mosley then pulled out his knife and stabbed Back from behind. Afterwards, Myers placed the garrotte around Back's neck while Mosley stabbed Back in the chest. Back was stabbed a total of 21 times, killing him.

Myers was sentenced to death at the age of 19 on October 17, 2014. He is currently on death row awaiting execution and is imprisoned in Chillicothe Correctional Institution. Mosley was sentenced to life in prison on November 14, 2014. He is imprisoned in Ross Correctional Institution.

Myers and Back had attended the same middle school together and were childhood friends in seventh and eighth grade. Back was a 2013 Waynesville High School graduate, and prior to his murder, was about to enter the Navy. According to Mosley's statement, Myers had asked Mosley if he wanted to make some money. Mosley was interested and the pair discussed whether to rob a drug dealer or the stepfather of Back, Mark Cates. Myers knew that Cates had a safe containing money and a gun that was left in the family home. Myers believed Cates kept a total of $20,000 dollars in his safe. The two drove to Back's home in Waynesville planning to rob the safe, but upon arriving, they realized Back was home so decided against it. The two left and discussed how they could acquire the money. Myers allegedly came up with the idea of killing Back. Eventually, Myers decided on strangling Back with a wire and then declared he and Mosley could take the safe, planning on making it look as though Back had stolen the safe and run away from home. Myers bought a three-foot length steel cable and two metal rope cleats. His intent was to fashion a garrote, or "choke wire", as Mosley referred to it. They assembled the garrote and planned to carry out the murder the following day.