WAPAKONETA — The April 24 death of Thomas Hovanec and subsequent arrest of three people in connection with that death has now become a federal case, with court documents filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio in Toledo. These documents include an affidavit outlining the investigation leading to the April 28 arrests of Amanda Hovanec, 35, Anita Green, 61, both of Wapakoneta, and Anthony Theodorou, 33, of South Africa. The trio was arrested on federal charges Monday.
The affidavit filed in these cases confirms that on or about April 24, Timothy Hovanec, 36, was killed due to an injection of a substance known as “M99.” According to a release from the FBI, M99 is a name used for etorphine hydrochloride, a Schedule II controlled substance. According to the affidavit, the substance was shipped to Amanda from South Africa by Theodorou, with whom Amanda had developed a relationship while she and Timothy were in that country for his work.
The incident took place after the victim, who worked as a security engineering officer for the U.S. Department of State, traveled to Wapakoneta from his Herndon, Virginia, home to attend an April 22 child custody hearing concerning the estranged couple’s three children. According to the affidavit, after spending time with the children at the Wapakoneta Best Western hotel where he was staying, Timothy drove his children to Amanda’s home where, after Green took the children inside, Amanda allegedly injected the M99 into Timothy’s left shoulder.
Audio and video of the incident were captured on a dashboard camera in Timothy’s vehicle, which was recovered near Highland Park in Dayton after Amanda allegedly drove the vehicle there to leave it. Both were off-camera, but Timothy could be heard on the audio saying, “What the heck are you doing? Did you just assault me?” according to court documents.
The couple could be seen on camera shortly after struggling, with Amanda allegedly pulling Timothy to the ground and holding him down until his body went limp. The affidavit then alleges that Green later drove Amanda and Theodorou to a wooded area at the corner of Blank Pike and Wrestle Creek Road to bury the body.
According to the affidavit, the Wapakoneta Police Department was notified by Best Western hotel staff after Timothy’s belongings were still in his room while he remained missing. Police alerted the FBI after discovering Timothy’s occupation, which led to concern that electronic equipment still in the room may contain sensitive government information.
Amanda and Theodorou are now charged federally with distribution of a controlled substance that resulted in death, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance that resulted in death and importation of a controlled substance that resulted in death. Green is charged federally for being an accessory after the fact. Amanda has been remanded without bail. Green and Theodorou are detained pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Friday at the U.S. District Courthouse in Toledo.
