killing – Tuscarawas County Stories

The 1913 Death of John Vlohasthanal and an Unmarked Grave

Ai generated image depicting an argument between two men in an alley in 1913. (Source: Microsoft Designer)

In 1913 New Philadelphia, a Greek immigrant’s American dream ended in violence and controversy. John Vlohasthanal’s name is, not surprisingly, presented a number of ways in the period documents. I have chosen to use the spelling as it appeared on his official death certificate. John Vlohasthanal (c. 1868–1913), reported in newspapers as John Vlohas, wasContinue reading “The 1913 Death of John Vlohasthanal and an Unmarked Grave”

A Night Gone Wrong: The Fatal Shooting of Caesar White

Ai generated image depicting the gathering at Joseph Malterer's home in February 1933, 2025. (Source: ImageFX)

What began as a lively winter gathering in Dennison ended in a shocking fatal shooting. Caesar White (1913-1933) was born in Dennison, Ohio, the son of Italian immigrants Frank (1882-1922) and Antoinette White (1882-1944), who both came to the United States in the 1890s. The Whites married in 1899 and settled in Tuscarawas County byContinue reading “A Night Gone Wrong: The Fatal Shooting of Caesar White”

No Justice for Mary Cirillo Shundry

AI generated image depicting investigators searching the area outside the Shundry home looking for the killers' trail, 2025. (Source: Microsoft Designer)

On Thanksgiving Eve 1932, a young mother’s life was violently ended in a rural Tuscarawas County boarding house. Mary Marie Solvey (1907-1932) was born in, 1907 in Coshocton County, Ohio, to Sicilian immigrants Francesco “Frank” Argento (1877-1953) and Rosa “Rose” Mercurio Argento (1879-1921). Her parents married in Sicily in 1903 and arrived in the UnitedContinue reading “No Justice for Mary Cirillo Shundry”

Frank Burns and a Christmas Eve Murder on Depot Street

AI generated image depicting the argument between Hunter Clakeley and Leonard Rudd in December 1943. (Source: ImageFX)

A quiet laborer in Dover, Ohio, Frank Burns became the unintended victim of a Christmas Eve shooting in 1943. Note: The Clakley surname is spelled a number of different ways in the various source material. I have chosen the spelling that appeared in the official criminal court records. Frank C. Burns was born in Milton,Continue reading “Frank Burns and a Christmas Eve Murder on Depot Street”

Jealous and Armed: The Murder of Ruth Moore

Early 20th century postcard image of Uhrichsville, Ohio. (Source: ebay.com)

Ruth Moore’s life ended in violence after suspicion and jealousy turned her husband into a murderer. Content warning: This post contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Click here for resources to find helpContinue reading “Jealous and Armed: The Murder of Ruth Moore”

Unindicted: The 1935 Death of Clarence Garabrandt

AI generated image depicting the scene at the Stanley home the night of November 9, 1935. (Source: Microsoft Designer)

A Dennison man’s life ends in mystery after a fatal punch. Was it murder or a tragic twist of fate? Clarence Garabrandt (1902-1935) was born in the village of Barnhill, nestled in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. The son of Ezra Garabrandt (1868-1923) and Lydia Smitely (1871-1951), Clarence grew up in a family familiar with hard labor.Continue reading “Unindicted: The 1935 Death of Clarence Garabrandt”

A Shot in the Dark: The 1924 Killing of Domenico Macri

AI generated image depicting the De Benedetta home in Dennison, Ohio in October 1924, 2025. (Source: Microsoft Designer)

An Italian immigrant and widowed father was gunned down in a Dennison home in 1924, exposing a hidden past. Domenico Macri (1880-1924), also recorded in some documents as Domineco Marci, was born in the Italian village of Mansoreto. He spent his early years there before he immigrated to the United States around the turn ofContinue reading “A Shot in the Dark: The 1924 Killing of Domenico Macri”

A Son’s Madness and the Murder of Dr. James Dickson

AI generated image depicting Dr. James A. Dickson lying lifeless on his stair landing after being shot. (Source: ChatGPT)

A respected doctor, Civil War veteran, and county coroner, James A. Dickson built a life of service in Dover—until a tragic turn of events in the summer of 1903 led to his shocking murder at the hands of his own son. James A. Dickson (1837-1903) was born on July 2, 1837, in Huron County, Ohio,Continue reading “A Son’s Madness and the Murder of Dr. James Dickson”

“A Bad Man”: The Killing of Henry Bushman

AI image of a sepia-toned photograph set inside a small, rustic bakery in rural Ohio, 1883. The interior is filled with wooden shelves stacked with freshly baked bread, pies, and pastries, with a large stone oven in the background. In the center of the scene, a young 20-year-old baker, wearing a flour-dusted apron and suspenders, is locked in a heated struggle with a rugged, 40-year-old railroad worker who appears visibly drunk, with a bottle in his hand and disheveled clothing. The baker, fists raised, shows determination and anger, while the older man stumbles, trying to regain his balance. The lighting is dim, and the atmosphere is tense, with flour kicked up in the air during the scuffle, 2024. (Source: Microsoft Designer)

German immigrant Henry Bushman led a troubled and short life, marred by frequent run-ins with the law and fueled by alcohol, which eventually led to a fatal encounter with his nephew in Uhrichsville, Ohio. When someone lived as short a life as German immigrant Henry Bushman (1852-1883) did in the 19th century, it is oftenContinue reading ““A Bad Man”: The Killing of Henry Bushman”