Authorities have identified the three people found dead inside an Ohio home following a series of mysterious 911 calls as a 22-month-old boy and his two grandparents, who had been helping to care for him because of his medical disabilities.
The Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Melissa E. Campbell, Gale F. Sanders and Kozzar J. Lotut were discovered inside a residence in the village of Gnadenhutten, Ohio, on October 21, 2026. All three died from gunshot wounds, and investigators believe the deaths were the result of a suspected murder-suicide.
Here’s what to know about the tragedy, the investigation and how police tracked the 911 call that led them to the scene.
The Victims in Suspected Murder-Suicide Have Been Identified
According to the Tuscarawas County Coroner’s office, Campbell, 51, Sanders, 67, and Kozzar, 22 months, were pronounced dead at the Gnadenhutten home. The victims were not named in the initial statement released by the coroner before being officially identified.
Campbell and Sanders were identified as Kozzar’s grandparents, and they regularly helped care for the toddler because of his medical disabilities.
Tuscarawas County Coroner Dr. Jeff Cameron will perform autopsies, which will determine the manner and cause of death for each victim.
Inside the Mysterious 911 Calls
The chain of events that led police to the home began with a hang-up call to the 911 dispatch center. The Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release that the call came in on October 21, 2026, around 4:17 a.m. and was “almost immediately disconnected.”
Because the call ended so quickly, dispatchers were unable to plot a location for where help was needed. They attempted to reach the caller back several times. During one of those return calls, a dispatcher believed they heard a voice “softly” say the word “help.”
Authorities were eventually able to trace the call to a potential location in the village of Gnadenhutten. Police noted in the press release that the owner of the phone indicated it was a spare device he had loaned to an associate — a detail that complicated efforts to identify who was on the line.
After investigating several possible locations, officers traced the device to the Gnadenhutten home. A family member who was at the scene let police inside, where they discovered the three bodies.
Sheriff Orvis Campbell Says Evidence Points to a Suspected Murder-Suicide
Sheriff Orvis Campbell said that evidence collected from the scene indicates the three victims died in a suspected murder-suicide. A firearm was found next to one of the deceased, though the sheriff did not reveal whether investigators have identified a suspect.
Initially, authorities had not shared any theories about what happened inside the home, including whether an intruder may have been involved. The subsequent identification of the victims and the discovery of the gun at the scene have shaped the current direction of the investigation.
“There are many people to interview and much to do with evidence from the scene, but I feel strongly that the community is in no danger,” the sheriff said in a statement about the tragedy.
He added that the sheriff’s office will “provide additional information once we are confident that we have gathered and verified all the necessary facts.”
“We would also like to thank Arrowhead Joint Fire District for their assistance on scene,” the sheriff continued.
Investigating the Gnadenhutten Case
Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Detectives are actively investigating the case alongside the Gnadenhutten Police Department and the Tuscarawas County Coroner’s Office.
The Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding updates in the case.
Autopsy results from Dr. Cameron are expected to clarify the sequence of events inside the home, as well as confirm the official manner and cause of death for each victim. Until then, authorities have declined to share additional specifics about the scene, the firearm or who may have made the brief 911 call that ultimately led police to the residence.
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This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
