murder case – Page 2 – Tuscarawas County Stories

Murder on the Wheeling & Lake Erie

AI generated image depicting the scene of Tony Gerriod lying on the ground outside the boxcar where he was killed in September 1911, 2025. (Source: ImageFX)

The 1911 murder of Tony Gerriod remains a mystery in Tuscarawas County history. Tony Gerriod’s surname was spelled a number of ways in the newspaper including Geraid and Gerald. I have chosen the spelling that appeared on the only legal document associated with him, his death certificate. His nationality is also vague, sometimes reported asContinue reading “Murder on the Wheeling & Lake Erie”

The Cistern Secret: The 1919 Clara Shroyer Case

AI generated image depicting the Bates gardener and a New Philadelphia, Ohio policeman discovering a crying infant at the bottom of a cistern, 2025. (Source: Google ImageFX)

A shocking discovery in a city cistern would unravel the dark, hidden chapter of young woman’s short life. Clara Madge Shroyer (1897–1930) was born in Mineral City, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, the daughter of Henry Shroyer (1872–1930), a local farm laborer, and his wife, Selena Emma Fisher Shroyer (1876–1937). She grew up in a rural farmingContinue reading “The Cistern Secret: The 1919 Clara Shroyer Case”

In the Line of Duty: The Murder of Deputy Myers

AI generated image depicting Herbert Krebs' home in flames in May 1940. (Source: Google ImageFX)

A tense standoff between a veteran sheriff’s deputy and an unstable Tuscarawas County farmer ended in deadly tragedy. Martin L. Myers (1890-1940) was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the son of Victor E. Myers (?-1892) and Ella McBarnes Myers (1872-1943). After his father’s death in 1892, young Martin grew up in Dennison, Ohio, where he livedContinue reading “In the Line of Duty: The Murder of Deputy Myers”

Adam Lantzer and The Newlywed Killing of 1913

AI generated image to illustrate the story of the death of Reinhold Wagner on October 4, 1913. (Source: Microsoft Designer)

A moment of joy between a Dover couple was shattered by a drunken driver on Wooster Road. Verna C. Dawson (1892–1923) was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, the daughter of Robert E. Dawson (1862–1916) and Etta Little Dawson (1874–1949). Her father, once employed at a pipe works in Newcomerstown, later returned to farming as theContinue reading “Adam Lantzer and The Newlywed Killing of 1913”

The Carnival Murder of 1912

AI generated image of a 1912 dark and ominous carnival, 2025. (Source: ChatGPT)

When a carnival rolled into Newcomerstown in 1912, it left behind a dead man and a vanished killer. Documenting the life of Elix Vandil (1884-1912), known variously in American records as Alex Bender, Alex Raudel, and Alexander Vendel, illustrates the significant challenges faced when tracing the paths of recent immigrants at the turn of theContinue reading “The Carnival Murder of 1912”

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”

Innocence Buried: The Feutz Tragedy of 1935

AI generated image depicting Mary Feutz digging a hallow grave in her backyard, 2025. (Source: ImageFX)

The lives of a Dover family unraveled in 1935 with a secret birth and a tragic crime. Content warning: The post contains discussion of infanticide. Mary Warther (1887-1969) was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, the daughter of Swiss immigrants Jacob Godfrey Warther (1844-1888) and Elizabeth Anna Haney (1855-1938). Her early years were marked by theContinue reading “Innocence Buried: The Feutz Tragedy of 1935”

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”