On June 16, 1929, two teenagers discovered a dead woman just outside a gun range. By the looks of her, whoever killed her must have despised her. Someone had crushed her skull, cut her throat and left her corpse to bleed out. The teenagers contacted the Columbus, Ohio police. The victim was a medical student named Theora Hix. Beatrice and Alice Bustin, her roommates, had reported her missing earlier. The sisters viewed the body and confirmed it as Theora Hix. 
The homicide investigation began with Marion Meyers, a graduate student who once dated Hix. Meyers, however, had a solid alibi. The police confirmed it and ruled him out as a suspect. Meyers also viewed the body and confirmed it as Hix.
After ruling out Meyers, the police searched for another suspect. They began speaking to Hix’s friends to find out if she had any other romantic interests. Friends told police that Hix had been seen with an older man who drove a blue car. His name was James Howard Snook.
He was a respected professor of Veterinary Science at The Ohio State University School of Veterinary Medicine. The married professor had also won two Gold medals for shooting at the 1920 Antwerp, Belgium Olympics.
Several days after Hix’s death, the police arrested and charged Snook with murdering Hix. Although successful and intelligent, he wasn’t skilled in committing murder. For instance, he hadn’t placed much effort into hiding Hix’s body. He also had a noticeable cut on his right hand that he claimed came from his car. After Hix appeared in the newspaper, a property owner identified Hix and Howard as her tenants. The couple had lied to the property owner and said they were married.
The police learned that James Howard Snook and Theora Hix had engaged in an affair in 1926 after Snook offered Hix a ride back to her dorm. When the affair began, Snook was 46 while Hix was 21. Snook rented out a separate apartment for him and Hix to meet regularly for sex. Although married, Snook claimed his relationship with Hix was only for sex. He said there were no romantic feelings between them. For sexual favors, Snook gave Hix money for tuition and for spending.
Although Hix seemed quiet, she had a dark side. People who knew her said she had a temper and could easily become angry. She also had an insatiable appetite for sex. Between them, Hix dominated Snook in their relationship. Additionally, Snook said Hix often belittled his sexual ability. She said Marion Myers (her ex) was better sexually. Hix also told Snook to read some sex books.
The police began searching for evidence to prove Snook murdered Hix. Again, Snook not being a skilled killer made many mistakes. He didn’t clean up the blood from his car. Police also found a bloody knife and ball-peen hammer in Snook’s home. Even his wife couldn’t give him an alibi. She said she didn’t know what time he came home on the night Hix died.
Snook confessed to killing Hix. He said Prosecutor Jack Chester Jr. had coerced his confession.
Snook revealed what happened. On June 13, 1929, while driving to the shooting range, Hix and Snook argued. According to Snook, he wanted to drop the apartment they shared and to end their relationship. Snook claimed Hix became angry and demanded he leave his wife and marry her. After he refused, Hix allegedly threatened to kill his wife and daughter. Snook said he snapped, grabbed a hammer and beat Hix with it. He then took a knife and slit her throat to end her suffering. Snook then dumped her body. Snook also said he worried about Hix shooting him with a gun he had given her for protection.
After killing Hix, he drove home, ate and then went to bed as if nothing had happened. Authorities believed he murdered Hix without any remorse. A grand jury indicted Snook. He would go on trial for first-degree murder on July 22, 1929. The jury convicted Snook on August 14, 1929 and sentenced him to death. After his appeals were denied, Snook died in the electric chair on February 28, 1930.
He was buried in Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus. His headstone read James Howard 1879-1930. The cemetery kept the burial site private until 2005. To avoid the shame of her husband’s evil deeds, his wife and daughter no longer carried the Snook name. The story of Professor James Howard Snook was another example of a man who seemed to have everything, but resorted to killing someone as a means to an end.
Marc is a longtime resident of Clermont County and an avid reader. Contact him through his website at www.themarcabe.com or through Facebook: www.Facebook.com/themarcabe or his Twitter account @themarcabe. Marc also has a podcast called Catch my Killer where he interviews family members seeking justice for their murdered loved ones. You can listen at www.catchmykiller.com.