Reer trial delayed

NORWALK — Amanda Dean murder suspect Fred Reer appeared in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing. Reer, 41, was present in the courtroom for the hearing with his attorney Anthony Rich. The hearing was short, with Judge James Conway postponing Reer's next appearance to Aug. 25 at 1 p.m. and postponing his trial date to Jan. 5. Judge Conway cited an "ongoing investigation" as the reason for the delay. The nature of the investigation the judge was referring to is unknown and calls to local law enforcement agencies have gone unreturned as of press time. It appeared that family of Reer and a large number family members of Dean, who lived in Collins, were both present in the courtroom. In February 2024, Fred Reer, 41, who's incarcerated in the Huron County Jail, was indicted and charged with six counts; including murder, gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. He entered a not-guilty plea at his initial court appearance in February 2024, more than six-and-a-half years after Dean was first reported missing. The indictment states that Reer allegedly killed Dean on the same day, likely, that her family reported her missing in July 2017. According to the indictment, Reer killed Dean and "cleaned up a bloody scene with towels, rags and disposing of the bloody sheets from the bed near the shack that Fred lived in with Amanda Dean." Reer allegedly dismembered the body and burned the mattress "which Amanda Dean died on," the indictment states. Over the course of the investigation, state agents, on multiple occasions, could be seen on the property on Wells Road in Collins where Reer and Dean both lived. On some occasions, agents had digging equipment and a large tent could be seen on the property. Exactly what evidence was found at the property has not yet been disclosed by law enforcement and prosecutors.