By Olivia Wilson Eli D. Weaver, a former Ohio Amish man convicted of helping plan the 2009 murder of his wife, Barbara Weaver, remains in prison. Weaver and his mistress, Barbara Raber, conspired to kill the mother of his five children at the family’s home near Apple Creek, Ohio. Raber carried out the fatal shooting while Weaver was away on a fishing trip. Weaver pleaded guilty to complicity in murder and received 15 years to life. As of October, 2026, Ohio’s official inmate record lists him as incarcerated at Grafton Correctional Institution, with his next parole review scheduled for February 2032.
Is Eli Weaver Still in Prison Right Now?
Yes. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction lists Eli D. Weaver, inmate number A573154, as incarcerated at Grafton Correctional Institution. His sentence remains 15 years to life for complicity in murder. The department’s current record does not show him as released or under community supervision. It gives April 1, 2032, as his expected release or parole-eligibility date and February 2032 as the next parole-review month. Neither entry guarantees that he will leave prison.
Who Is Eli Weaver?
Weaver lived in the conservative Andy Weaver Amish community of Wayne County, Ohio, with his wife, Barbara, and their five children. He was associated with a sporting-goods business and was known outside his community for affairs conducted using a mobile phone and online contacts. Reports later described his internet nickname as the ‘Amish Stud.’ The nickname became a memorable feature of the true-crime coverage, but the criminal case centered on the murder plot and the evidence connecting Weaver and Raber.
What Happened to Barbara Weaver in 2009?
Barbara Weaver was shot and killed in her bedroom during the early hours of June 2, 2009. One of her children found her and alerted a neighbor. Court records identify the weapon as a .410-gauge shotgun and describe a fatal shot fired at close range. Eli Weaver was away on a fishing trip to Lake Erie at the time. Investigators initially encountered him as the victim’s husband, but later evidence showed that his absence was part of the plan to kill her.
Who Was Barbara Raber?
Barbara Raber, a woman who had left the Amish community, was Weaver’s mistress and the person who fired the fatal shot. Investigators found messages between the two discussing plans for Barbara Weaver’s death. Court proceedings described earlier ideas involving poison and other possible methods. Raber was separately convicted of aggravated murder. Unlike Eli Weaver, she went to trial rather than resolving the case through the same plea arrangement. Her conviction and sentence are independent of his.
How Did Investigators Discover the Murder Plot?
Police examined telephone communications and questioned Weaver and Raber after the shooting. Evidence documented in an Ohio appellate decision included text messages describing plans for the killing and Raber’s access to a shotgun. Weaver ultimately acknowledged that he and Raber had planned Barbara’s death. He agreed to testify at her trial. The prosecution relied on testimony and records rather than simply on the notoriety of the couple’s relationship.
What Was Eli Weaver Convicted Of?
Weaver pleaded guilty to complicity in murder in September 2009. Ohio law permits criminal responsibility for someone who intentionally helps another person commit a crime. The legal finding was therefore not that he personally fired the fatal shot. It was that he knowingly participated in the murder plan. His guilty plea formed the basis of the sentence now recorded by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. Official records identify the offense as ‘COMPLICITY MURDER.’
How Long Is Eli Weaver’s Prison Sentence?
The Wayne County court sentenced Weaver to 15 years to life in prison, effective September 24, 2009, with credit for time already spent in jail. This is an indeterminate sentence. The 15-year minimum does not mean he automatically became a free man after 15 years. The maximum is life, and parole authorities must authorize any release under applicable rules. He remains subject to that sentence in 2026.
Where Is Eli Weaver Being Held?
His official Ohio offender record identifies Grafton Correctional Institution as his current facility. The prison is part of Ohio’s state correctional system. Older stories may describe previous placements or imply that he was released after reaching a minimum term, but the official record is the most reliable source for his present status. Housing assignments can change, yet the department’s October 2026 information continues to list him as incarcerated.
Was Eli Weaver Eligible for Parole Earlier?
Weaver’s sentence has produced considerable confusion about release dates. Some older articles referred to earlier eligibility estimates, including 2024. The current Ohio record is more specific: it lists April 1, 2032, under ‘Expected Release Date/Parole Eligibility Date’ and February 2032 for the next parole board hearing or review. That means articles promising a 2024 or 2026 release no longer reflect the current official record. The parole board’s latest listed outcome is a continued hearing.
When Is Eli Weaver’s Next Parole Hearing?
His next parole board review month is February 2032. Ohio lists April 1, 2032, as the associated expected release or eligibility date. A board review is an opportunity to assess release under supervision, not an assurance that it will happen. Authorities may consider the underlying murder, Weaver’s conduct in custody, his circumstances and public safety. If parole is denied, he may remain imprisoned beyond 2032.
What Sentence Did Barbara Raber Receive?
Raber was convicted of aggravated murder and received a sentence that included a three-year firearm specification and 20 years to life. Ohio’s official record lists her as incarcerated at the Ohio Reformatory for Women and shows a next parole review in April 2032. Her sentence is different from Weaver’s because she was convicted of aggravated murder after trial and received a separate firearm-related penalty. Neither person’s parole review controls the other’s release.
Has Eli Weaver Won an Appeal or Been Released?
No publicly documented ruling has overturned Weaver’s guilty plea or ended his sentence. His case is regularly revisited in television programs and true-crime books, but renewed media attention is not a legal order. The Ohio offender database continues to show him in custody, making claims of an early release incorrect as of October 12, 2026. The most important future milestone shown by the state is his 2032 parole review.
What Is the Latest Status of Eli Weaver’s Case?
As of October, 2026, Eli Weaver remains at Grafton Correctional Institution serving 15 years to life for complicity in his wife’s 2009 murder. His official next parole review is scheduled for February 2032, with April 1, 2032, listed as the related eligibility date. That is not a guaranteed release day. The murder of Barbara Weaver, a mother of five, remains the foundation of the criminal judgment under which he is imprisoned.