Ohio man sentenced to 43 years, Marshall County Sheriff's Dept. assisted with investigation

Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at 1:30 AM

Marshall County Lt. Detective Les McFarland released information Tuesday afternoon relating to the outcome of a murder trial in Ohio that worked with many agencies, including the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department.

Following a 5-day trial in May, a Delaware County, OH jury found 32-year-old Brandon Toleque guilty of two counts of murder, both unclassified felonies, with firearm specifications, one count of kidnapping, a felony of the first degree, and one count of rape, also a felony of the first degree.

Toleque shot and killed a guest in his Powell, Ohio, home in November of 2023. Following the murder, Toleque then forced another guest to leave with him as he fled the central Ohio area.

Toleque sexually assaulted the individual while driving across Ohio before he was ultimately stopped by Marshall County Police. He was charged with resisting law enforcement, possession of cocaine or narcotics, and confinement in Indiana. He was eventually extradited to Delaware County.

Judge James P. Schuck sentenced Toleque to 43 years to life in prison.

This case was investigated by the Powell Police Department, with assistance from the Marshall County, Indiana Sheriff’s Department, Delaware County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted by Chief Criminal Assistant Prosecutor Mark Sleeper and Major Crimes Assistant Prosecutor Daniel Cogle.