ASHLAND — Shawn Michael Grate remains in Ashland County Jail Wednesday afternoon but the County Prosecutor Christopher Tunnell said no charges would be filed today.
At approximately 3:15 p.m.. Wednesday, the Ashland County Prosecutor’s Office issued a press release regarding the status of the case against Grate.
According to the release, authorities are “in the process of reviewing an investigation pertaining to Shawn M. Grate. When the initial review process is complete, the Prosecuting Attorney anticipates a decision as to whether a criminal complaint will be filed, which will occur sometime in the afternoon of Thursday, September 15, 2016.”
The release says the prosecutor will not conduct any interviews (with the media) at this time.
Grate was arrested Tuesday afternoon after Ashland Police investigated a report of an abducted woman. The woman had called 911 and said she was being held at a home on Covert Court. Upon arrival, authorities freed the woman and took Grate into custody. After obtaining search warrants, police found two bodies in one of the homes. After being questioned, Grate led Richland County Sheriff’s deputies to a third body he had buried in a wooded area behind a burned-out home on Park Avenue East in Madison Township.
Earlier Wednesday, the Ashland County Coroner’s Office confirmed that one of the victims discovered at 363 Covert Court was Stacey Stanley. Stanley went missing Thursday after getting a flat tire at the BP gas station at Union and Main streets.
According to a press release from the Ashland Police Department, the Ashland County Coroner has identified one of the bodies found at Covert Court as Stanley but the other body remains unidentified. The press release says no cause of death has been determined.
Stacey’s sister Jenae Stanley posted on Facebook this morning, “My sister was one of the victims in that house. She nor anyone else deserved to die like that.”
Flowers, stuffed animals, a cross and other items have been left in front of the houses Wednesday.
A candlelight vigil has been planned for Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. at Fourth Street and Orange Street to remember the victims.
