Despite each killing three people, and one killing a child, neither Hoffman nor Littleton faced the death penalty. Instead they plead guilty in exchange for sentences of life in prison with no chance of parole. It’s a scenario that is happening more and more frequently in Ohio.

If the murders had occurred six years ago, prosecutors could not have sought life without parole without first pursuing a capital murder case. A 2005 law now makes that possible. That’s on top of a 1996 law which gives juries the option of choosing life-in-prison over execution.

“It does give prosecutors and defense attorneys another option and it gives juries another option,” said Knox County Prosecutor John Thatcher.

Thatcher struck the plea agreement with Matthew Hoffman, who killed the women and the boy.

“I think it’s more likely than not that juries since 1996 have come to the right result when they have the option, and have come back with death verdicts as opposed to life without parole verdicts,” he said.

Since the law changes, there have been sharp declines in death penalty indictments and sentences. Indictments have declined 24 percent. And death sentences by more than half.

Andrew Welsh-Huggins is a legal affairs reporter for the Associated Press and wrote a book on the history of Ohio’s death penalty. Welsh-Huggins said he thinks it’s clear juries like to have an option other than death.

“I think what the effect it’s having, though, is the type of individual that’s being sentenced to death now by juries say is probably closer to what lawmakers envisioned 30 years ago, what they call the worst of the worst,” Welsh-Huggins said.

While it’s ultimately up to prosecutors to decide which punishment to seek, death or life, victims’ families carry some weight on the decision. Thatcher used the plea bargain to convince Hoffman to tell police where he hid the victims’ bodies. And Thatcher said he explained to the victims’ families that a death penalty case and the appeals process can last more than a decade.

“For them I think there were a number of reasons that made the life without parole option what they wanted, and on the day they made that decision it was: they wanted to recover their loved ones,” he said.

Thatcher said he would have pursued Hoffman’s execution if the case took place 15 years ago.

Logan County Prosecutor Gerald Heaton said he, too, would have pursued a death penalty case against Samuel Littleton.

“We wouldn’t want to go down to a life sentence because then, after 20 years or 25 years or 30 years, it would be up to the parole authority as to whether or not he got out of jail. So we would have been forced pretty much because of the type of crime it was to go to trial,” Heaton said.

Because of the changes in Ohio law, some have argued for a review of all death penalty cases, especially those sentenced to die before 1996.

Ohio Public Defender Tim Young said he thinks there should be a complete review of all of the death row cases.

“Of all of those people on death row that we’re currently executing, the vast majority, if indicted today, either wouldn’t be indicted with death or they would be given LWOP even if they were indicted with death,” Young said.

Young predicts within ten years Ohio will no longer have a death penalty. Writer Andrew Welsh-Huggins disagrees, but he predicts a significant decline in the death row population over the next few decades.

“There’s just fewer people being indicted on death penalty charges, and there’s fewer people being sentenced to death. So ultimately it’s going to become a very small, but continuing part of our legal system,” Welsh-Huggins said.

And in tight budget times, there’s the cost issue. Studies have shown that trying death penalty cases and housing death row inmates is up to three times the cost of inmates serving life sentences.

67 year old Willard House of Worthington, a retired chemist attended the lectures and outings over the last 4 years through the Lifelong Learning Institute at Columbus State.

“Even though I was a chemist I still like science all kinds of science and astronomy. They had a course, a gentleman came up from Delaware where they have a telescope where you can look into the universe,” said House.

The program offered classes in arts, science, current events, history, technology and other topics. Participants paid a 100 dollar annual fee. About 100 seniors took part in Lifelong Learning. House regrets the program’s end at Columbus State.

“I think it’s a sad thing. I think that because one gets older and retires doesn’t mean their brain is going to die out. That just means that’s just another phase of their life where they learn more,” added House.

Columbus State spokesman, David Wayne says the change was needed to better serve the older population now re-entering the workforce.

“The people that were in that group are in that age group that they are actually looking for jobs now more than they were because of the economy and one way to do that is to focus more on career development, professional development and also retraining,” explained Wayne.

Columbus State spokesman Wayne adds that because many seniors are unable to retire today providing job services is a better use of resources to help more seniors. Supporters of Lifelong Learning Institute are working to find a new location in central Ohio. There are 18 similar programs around the state.

Environmentalists, including Environmental Defense Fund Transportation Policy Analyst Peter Ashcroft, are considering ways to identify and measure any downside of bioproduction.

“Often times seniors don’t know that they’re getting into these arrangements,” she said. “They don’t understand all the details or its not explained to them; its undisclosed. Sometimes there are even unexpected tax consequences or other undisclosed costs or expenses.”

Other STOLI arrangements include a policy bought for the sole purpose of selling it to a third-party or entering into a contract for so-called free life insurance.

“Some of the names that are commonly used to sell STOLI plans right now are, zero-premium life insurance, estate maximization plan, no cost to the insurance plan, free insurance,” she said.

State representatives this week introduced a bill that would protect Ohioans from STOLI arrangements. The bill would increase the waiting period to buy or sell an existing policy, and force investors to disclose more information at the onset of the arrangement.

Matt Pittman is doing bench presses at the Hilltop YMCA on Valley View Drive. The weight room is nothing fancy and there aren’t a lot of people using it. Pittman says he joined because he’s able to use other YMCA’s when he travels. In contrast, business is booming at the former Sawmill Athletic Club on Hayden Road. After a $5.1 million renovation completed a few weeks ago, it’s now known as Premier at Sawmill.

“We’re in the indoor pool. Premier at Sawmill has one indoor pool and four outdoor pools,” says Steve Lerner, marketing director. General Manager Andy Deyo says members ask for – and got – other improvements.

“One of the largest things we’ve added is more cardio equipment. Everybody does some sort of cardio training – whether you walk, run, or elliptical training. We increased our group exercise studios – we used to call it aerobics back in our day. Our spinning studio increased in size – we doubled the size of that space as well.”

No additional space was added to the 40,000 square-foot building. Instead Deyo says large lobbies were removed and some areas devoted to sports past their peak popularity were reduced.

“This club opened in 1980 with 13 racquetball courts. We opened back up three weeks ago with five.”

90% of the building was remodeled, including the weightlifting area where personal trainer Rick Rick works with a client.

“This is a curl base lung press, we’re going to do four, then you can put the bells down when you switch and then do four again.”

The club’s website calls Premier The Ultimate Indulgence in an Athletic Club. But competitors may challenge that title. A fitness chain called Life Time already operates a club in Easton and is building a 100,000 square-foot club in Dublin. Kent Wipf, the corporation’s public relations manager, says their facilities offer all sorts of fitness opportunities but with upscale amenities that older clubs just don’t have.

“I mean Life Time Fitness is very large, what we build now is about 110,000 square feet, marble counter tops, natural wood lockers, a very much warmer, family-friendly, inviting atmosphere; a very much different picture that people think of when they think of a health club.”

Like Premier, Life Time will have a Caf , and a spa, a place to get a hair cut, a manicure and a massage. Wipf says people are more educated about personal fitness than they’ve ever been, but there may be a few stereotypes to overcome.

“The industry back in the ’70s and ’80s didn’t do itself any favors. I think when you think of a health club you get images of Rocky Balboa, a sweaty gym, metal lockers, barbells clanging. The environment is very different.”

Those sorts of smaller operations are still around Columbus but they serve the hardcore power lifter. At Westside Barbell on Industry Drive owner Louie Simmons says the big clubs serve a different clientele.

“Those are basically for fitness. This gym is for performance this is where we apply science to weight training.”

There aren’t a lot of machines to choose from at Westside — purists believe free weights – barbells and dumbbells – are the most effective.

“It’s important to have only what you need. When you have more than you need people become lazy.”

Westside has only one treadmill and it’s human powered, not electric.

“Special treadmill, you won’t see, it’s a non motorized treadmill. And you get on this and you walk and it’s a lot like walking through water. Because you have resistance on your ankles, of course you see the weight vest, so it takes a lot of energy just to do it. So every step you’ve got to pull forward, pull forward, pull forward.”

Unlike the bigger clubs, you can’t join Westside, the club selects you. Several of its members will be competing in the Arnold Classic next month. Meanwhile when the new Life Time Fitness center opens, Kent Wipf says the entire family is invited to become members.

“The family can come and drop the kids off at the child center. Mom can get a workout in, dad can do his thing in the spinning room, they can all have lunch at the caf and then hit the pool and swim together so now it’s a place where the whole family can come together and do that.”