Amanda Hovanec
TOLEDO — Judge James Knepp II has vacated an April 15 trial date in the U.S. District Court for Northern Ohio for a Wapakoneta woman charged in the death of her estranged husband nearly two years ago.
Court records show that on Feb. 1 Knepp received notification that Amanda Hovanec intends to change her not-guilty plea to charges that include conspiracy to import a controlled substance, importation of a controlled substance, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute of a controlled substance and distribution of a controlled substance that resulted in death.
A change-of-plea hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 14.
Hovanec and her mother, Anita Green, both of Wapakoneta, and South Africa resident Anthony Theodorou were charged in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in connection with the death of 36-year-old Timothy Hovanec, the estranged husband of Amanda whose body was found in rural Auglaize County near Waynesfield in April 0f 2022.
According to the federal indictment Hovanec and Green, both of Wapakoneta, and Anthony Theodorou of South Africa are alleged to have conspired to import the controlled substance etorphine — also known as M99 — from South Africa into the United States. Federal investigators said Timothy Hovanec died from a lethal injection of the controlled substance when it was administered into his shoulder by Amanda Hovanec.
Hovanec was arrested in connection with her husband’s death and was charged in federal court on May 2, 2022. She allegedly confessed to the killing.
Court documents state that Timothy and Amanda Hovanec were married in July 2012 and share three children together. Timothy Hovanec was employed by the U. S. Department of State as a security engineering officer. Following a deployment to Germany in 2016 he was transferred to South Africa two years later. Amanda Hovanec initiated divorce proceedings in 2020 after allegedly developing a relationship with Theodorou.
A child custody matter prompted Timothy Hovanec’s return to Auglaize County on April 22, 2022, according to court records.
Theodorou has pleaded not guilty to charges identical to those faced by Hovanec.
Green pleaded guilty late last year to a felony count of being an accessory after the fact in the disposal of Timothy Hovanec’s body. She will be sentenced Feb. 23.
