ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — The name of the man involved in a standoff yesterday with area SWAT teams was released by police officials.
72-year-old, Lowell W. Earles was found dead inside a garage following the standoff.
Lowell W. Earles was facing ten counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor (under the age of 16).
Earles was indicted in 2018 and was scheduled for trial this month.
According to the Ross County Prosecutor’s Office, Earles was due to be in court for a status conference when he failed to appear. A warrant, officials said, was issued for his arrest.
On Thursday, agents with the United States Marshals Service attempted to take Earles into custody. Agents found him in possession of a shotgun. The standoff along Westfall Road lasted for several hours before the Ross-Fayette Emergency Response Team made entry.
Authorities say that no member of law enforcement discharged their weapon during the standoff.
The incident remains under investigation. The cause of death has yet to be released by the Ross County Coroner’s Office.