Suspected murder-suicide in West Twp. shooting | News, sports, work

LISBON – Columbiana County Sheriff Brian McLaughlin said Tuesday that the investigation into a husband and wife found shot to death in their West Township home appears to be a suspected murder-suicide.

The investigation into the deaths at 24235 Ridge Road, East Rochester remains ongoing by the Sheriff’s Office and the Columbiana County Coroner’s Office, and McLaughlin notes that a final ruling has not yet been made.

However, he admitted that the scenario appears to be that the husband shot himself after shooting his wife multiple times.

Those killed were identified as 37-year-old Vanessa Chester and 50-year-old Jason Hilaire, both of a home on Ridge Road.

According to a news release issued by McLaughlin, the sheriff’s office received a call at 4:32 p.m. Monday requesting a welfare check at the residence, and then received another call reporting that the son had found his mother and stepfather deceased inside the home.

The sheriff’s office, Minerva police and the Sandy Creek Joint Fire District responded to the call. Two people were found in the house with gunshot wounds. The county coroner’s office and Child Protective Services were called to the scene.

According to the sheriff’s investigative report, a man called him asking for welfare benefits for Hilaire, claiming he was going through a divorce, and a mutual friend told him he had abandoned the family. “sinister-sounding voicemail” and no one had contact with him. A minute later, he received another call from someone claiming that his son’s friend had found the bodies of his mother and stepfather in the basement. Another caller reported that they called their child’s friend, a female juvenile who said she found two people shot inside the house.

In addition to Children Services being called to the scene, the county dog ​​warden was called to find a dog at the home.

McLaughlin said a 10-millimeter handgun was found near the bodies. The list of evidence included in the sheriff’s investigation report included multiple spent shell casings and live pistol ammunition, two different handguns, divorce papers and telephones.

A call was made to the county coroner’s office, but there was no response as of Tuesday afternoon.

A check of Columbiana County Common Pleas court records turned up no records relating to Hilaire or Chester.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 330-424-7255.

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