In 1919, Italian immigrant Antonio Di Simone was murdered near Dennison, Ohio—two suspects were arrested, but justice never came. I have chosen to use the surname Di Simone as opposed to the others that appear in the historical record. It was the surname under which Antonio Di Simone was buried by his friends and itContinue reading “Indicted but Never Convicted: The Murder of Antonio Di Simone”
Tag Archives: unsolved true crime
Murder on the Wheeling & Lake Erie
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”
“Unknown Causes”: The Mysterious Death of Albert J. Bates
A mysterious night, missing belongings, and a crushed skull. What really happened to Albert Bates in 1929? Albert “Alva” Jerome Bates (1868-1929) was born in Ashland County, Ohio, to farmer Elias Bates (1831-1891) and his wife Harriet Charlton (1824-1900). His early life was marked by hardship when, at the age of two, he suffered aContinue reading ““Unknown Causes”: The Mysterious Death of Albert J. Bates”
Murder of John Constantino: A Tuscarawas County Cold Case
A new husband and hardworking immigrant, John Constantino vanished on a quiet February night in 1929—only to be found days later, murdered and frozen near a schoolhouse, his killing still a mystery nearly a century later. Giovanni “John” Constantino (1903–1929) was born in Gioiosa Marea, Sicily, to Filippo Constantino and Rosa Ramona. Seeking a newContinue reading “Murder of John Constantino: A Tuscarawas County Cold Case”
Clara Campbell: The Girl Who Never Came Home
In the spring of 1930, seventeen-year-old Clara L. Campbell vanished after a dispute with her father, only to be found dead in Sweetwater Creek days later—her mysterious death raised more questions than answers. Content warning: This post contains references to suicide. If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or hasContinue reading “Clara Campbell: The Girl Who Never Came Home”
In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Conclusion
The murder of John Myers ended his life, but not his legacy. Meanwhile, the question of who murdered him remained unknown. Click here to read part six. John Myers, the man senselessly murdered outside a tavern in Zoar in November 1947, was on his way home to his wife and daughter in Bolivar, Ohio. AContinue reading “In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Conclusion”
In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Six
Delbert Sizemore’s life of crime—spanning armed robberies, violent assaults, and state-hopping schemes, possibly included the 1947 murder of John Myers where his own words and actions pointed to his guilt. Click here to read part five. Delbert Sizemore was in and out of prison from at least the age of 18, and possibly even earlierContinue reading “In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Six”
In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Five
Was it probable that Delbert Sizemore was responsible for the murder of John Myers in November 1947? There were reasons to doubt it. Click here to read part four. Tuscarawas County law enforcement had, by the end of December 1947, a man they believed was responsible for the murder of John Myers outside a tavernContinue reading “In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Five”
In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Four
Who was Delbert Hershel Sizemore, the violent Indiana convicted felon, and what was his connection to the murder of John Myers on the evening of November 19, 1947? Click here to read part three. Delbert Hershel Sizemore’s life began quietly enough in 1914, in the small Indiana town of Center Point. But beneath the surfaceContinue reading “In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Four”
In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Three
The murder of John Myers sparked a complex investigation involving local, state, and federal law enforcement, as they struggled to untangle conflicting witness accounts, trace potential suspects, and pursue elusive leads across state lines. Click here to read part two. The investigation into who killed John Myers and why began immediately and included law enforcementContinue reading “In the Shadow of Zoar: The 1947 Murder of John Myers, Part Three”
Tuscarawas County Stories 