On August 27, 2023, at 0224 hours, the Mansfield Division of Police responded to the
area of 151 Blymyer Ave referencing a ShotSpotter activation. Officers arrived in the
area and located four gunshot victims outside of a home. One victim was found to be
deceased. The other three victims made their way to a local hospital.
During the investigation, two shooting suspects were identified. Last evening, after
consultation with the Richland County Prosecutor’s Office, murder warrants were
issued for both Michael Lee Coffee Jr. and Avanta Shemar Dakota Payne Adams.
If located contact your local authorities immediately as both suspects are considered
to be armed and dangerous.
Please contact Det. Ronee Swisher 419-755-9432 with any information about the
suspects.
Rafael Martinez Age: 40
White / Male / 5’8” / 180lbs / Black Hair / Brown Eyes
Wanted by U.S Marshals Service, the Richland County Sheriff’s Office for failure to register (F1) and a bond revocation for possession of fentanyl (F1) and failure to register (F1), and Adult Parole Authority for a parole violation for rape (F1).
Ties to the Cleveland.
Marquis Morris Age: 34
Black / Male / 6’0’’ / 165lbs / Black Hair / Brown Eyes
Wanted by the U.S Marshals Service and Richland County Sheriff’s Office for charge of felonious assault.
Ties to Mansfield area and Oxon Hill MD.
Derrick Taylor Age: 46
White / Male / 245 lbs. / Brown Hair / Brown Eyes
Wanted by the U.S Marshals and Richland County Sheriff’s office for felonious assault.
Ties to Mansfield, Ontario, Baltic, and Bucyrus OH.
Glen Pettry Age: 44
White / Male / 5’11” / 192 / Brown Hair / Blue Eyes
Wanted by the U.S Marshals Service and Richland County Sheriff’s Office for illegal conveyance of drugs.
Ties to the Mansfield area.
Reward money is available for information directly leading to an arrest. Anyone with information concerning any of these fugitives can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force office at 419-774-3565 or the tip line at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833) or you can send a web tip at the following webpage http://www.usmarshals.gov/district/oh-n/index.html.
The NOVFTF Akron Division consists of the following federal, state and local agencies:
United States Marshals Service, Mansfield Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Richland County Probation, Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Bucyrus Police Department, Galion Police Department, Huron County Sheriff’s Office, Lexington Police Department, Loudonville Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ontario Police Department, Plymouth Police Department, Willard Police Department and Crestline Police Department.
****WARNING THE FOLLOWING VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT****
****VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED****
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office releases video of Officer involved Shooting, on Aug 5, 2023, at 7:56 p.m. in the 200 block of U.S. 250 East, in Rowsburg, Ohio.
Deputies responded to a call about a male with suicidal tendencies, having a firearm.
The video shows Deputies walking around the house, and seeing a male sitting in a lawn chair. The Deputies proceed to ask him his name and what was going on. The male threw down a cell phone.
At this point the Deputies saw the firearm, and commanded him not to pick it up!
Deputies tried to taser the suspect 3 times, to no avail.
The male later identified as Larry Dunham, age 63, raised one of the pistols up and fired twice at one of the Deputies. At that point two of the Deputies fired their service weapons multiple times, striking the male.
Deputies radioed, “Shots fired!” and Jeromesville EMS was dispatched.
The Sheriff’s Office called for assistance, and turned the investigation over to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations. Ashland County Coroner’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol also responded. The Ashland County Coroner’s Offices transported the body to Lucas County for an autopsy.
The Mansfield Division of Police, Major Crimes Unit is actively searching for the suspects in the Aggravated Murder of one person and the Felonious Assault of three others.
On August 27, 2023, at 0224 hours, the Mansfield Division of Police responded to the area of 151 Blymyer Ave referencing a ShotSpotter activation. Officers arrived in the area and located four gunshot victims outside of a home. One victim was found to be deceased. The other three victims made their way to a local hospital.
The suspects had fled the scene in a dark-colored vehicle.
“We are asking for the help of the community in identifying the suspects in this
Homicide,” stated Lt. Robert Skropits.
Please contact Det. Ronee Swisher 419-755-9432 with any information about the
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call on 08/24/23, at 06:23am from a female driver, who had her car washed off of County Road 1300.
The 911 call lasted over an hour, this is a few of the grueling moments of the call between the dispatcher and the victim.
All identifying information, including name, number etc. have been removed to protect the identity of the victim.
Thanks to the dispatcher who was able to keep her calm and reassure her that help was on the way, and to the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, who put themselves at risk to rescue this female.
In April of 2022, Detectives from the Ashland Police Division and the Ashland County Sheriffs Office assigned to the METRICH Enforcement Unit initiated a drug trafficking investigation in Ashland County. On April 7, 2022, a traffic stop resulted in two arrests, which led to a search warrant at 158 US 250 Polk, Ohio.
During the search, Detectives discovered evidence of Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) manufacturing. DMT is a Schedule I hallucinogenic drug of abuse. Detectives from the Mansfield METRICH office assisted in collecting the evidence. Investigators seized Dimethyltryptamine, evidence of drug trafficking, and a firearm. Stephen L. Messier, 40, of Polk, Ohio, was subsequently charged with drug-related offenses.
Messier was convicted in July 2023 of Illegal Manufacture of Drugs, Illegal Assembly or Possession of Chemicals for the Manufacture of Drugs, Aggravated Trafficking in Drugs, Aggravated Possession of Drugs, Having Weapons Under Disability, and Endangering Children. Judge David Stimpert of the Common Pleas Court of Ashland County sentenced Messier to a combined prison term of eleven (11) to fourteen (14) years.
The METRICH Enforcement Unit would like to thank the community for providing tips that helped lead to the successful completion of this case. We encourage all residents to continue to report suspected drug activity by calling the METRICH Crime Tip Hotline at 419-52-CRIME (419-522-7463) or downloading the METRICH Enforcement Unit mobile app to submit a tip.
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, and Polk-Jackson-Perry Fire Department & EMS responded to Township Road 1275, just East of State Route 89, around 5:16 am yesterday morning.
A father and son were traveling westbound on Township Road 1275, unaware the culvert had washed away.
Both were able to escape the vehicle and the water with minor injuries.
Joe Lyons •
August 28, 2023
The Mansfield Division of Police, Major Crimes Unit is actively searching for the suspects in the Aggravated Murder of one person and the Felonious Assault of three others.
In April of 2022, Detectives from the Ashland Police Division and the Ashland County Sheriffs Office assigned to the METRICH Enforcement Unit initiated a drug trafficking investigation in Ashland County. On April 7, 2022, a traffic stop resulted in two arrests, which led to a search warrant at 158 US 250 Polk, Ohio.
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, and Polk-Jackson-Perry Fire Department & EMS responded to Township Road 1275, just East of State Route 89, around 5:16 am yesterday morning.