A man accused in the January shooting death of a West Union resident is now in custody at the Adams County Jail, following extradition from Kentucky where he had been held on separate charges. Jason Strain, 47, was booked into the Adams County Jail just before 7 p.m. on Friday, April 4. He is accused of murdering James Daniel Newton “Danny” Land, also 47, of West Union. The fatal shooting occurred on Sunday, January 26, in the Village of Manchester.
Adams County Jail intake photo of Jason Strain.
Deputies with the Adams County Sheriff’s Department responded to reports of gunfire in the area of Starks and 6th Streets during the early morning hours that day. Upon arrival, they discovered Land with fatal injuries. Although officials initially withheld the victim’s name, Land’s identity was widely known within the community. Based on witness descriptions and investigative leads, law enforcement quickly identified Strain as a person of interest. He was taken into custody later that morning following a multi-agency response.
Strain, however, was held in Bowling Green, Kentucky on unrelated charges and had remained incarcerated there for over two months. On Friday, he was transferred to Adams County to face his Ohio charges. An Adams County Grand Jury indicted Strain on two counts of murder, each accompanied by a three-year firearm specification. The first count alleges that he purposely caused Land’s death, while the second claims the death occurred as a result of committing or attempting to commit another felony offense.
The case marks the third homicide in the small village of Manchester within the past year, a concerning trend in what is typically a quiet Ohio River community. A double homicide last spring also left one person seriously injured.
The Adams County Sheriff’s Department credited the quick resolution of the January investigation to a coordinated effort that included the Manchester Police Department, Manchester Fire/EMS, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Brown County Sheriff’s Department, Brown County Task Force, Kentucky State Police, and Bowling Green/Warren County Kentucky Communications Center.
Strain remains in the Adams County Jail pending further court proceedings.
