VINTON COUNTY, Ohio — Two people are behind bars and two others are dead following a shooting in Vinton County.
It happened Tuesday, according to Sheriff Ryan C. Cain, and ended in the arrest of the believed shooter, but not before a multi-county search.
The sheriff was limited in details due to the nature of the investigation, but he confirmed that his office received a call about a shooting on Frazee Lane sometime on Tuesday. Deputies found a man lying dead near the front door after he had been shot, law enforcement said, and it was not long before deputies realized they had a gunman on the loose.
Quickly, the sheriff was able to identify a prime suspect and called in the assistance of several law enforcement agencies. After a few hours of scouring southern Ohio, a vehicle matching the description of an all-points bulletin was located by police in Wellston. Wellston’s police department would not comment on the traffic stop, but the sheriff said the suspected shooter was arrested without incident by officers and deputies. A second person has also been charged in the case.
August Schuetz, 34, and Shania Jones, 26, both of Wellston have been charged with the murders.
Another person also died in the incident, according to the Sheriff, but the nature of their death was not released.
Rumors posted on social media by family and friends of one of the victims said it was a domestic violence situation from an ex-boyfriend, who killed his former girlfriend and her love interest. The Sheriff did not confirm the motive and cautioned the community on social media rumors.
“Please allow time for additional information to be released rather than relying on rumors and innuendo,” Cain said. “There is no additional threat to public safety at this time.”
Also on Tuesday, the sheriff and multiple agencies responded to Rupert Lake, which involved several dive teams in an apparent search of the water. The sheriff stopped short of saying Wednesday if the scenes were connected, but the local fire department said crews were searching for a body before calling it off.
The victims, identified as Jori Brown, 31, of McArthur, and Lawerence McMichael, 29, of Ashville, were both found at the scene on Frazee Lane, officials said.