(COSHOCTON, Ohio)— Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and members of a special, multi-jurisdictional task force formed to investigate the double homicide of Doyle Chumney, 88, and and Lillian Chumney, 79, announced today the arrest of one of two suspects believed to be responsible for the crime. A warrant has been issued for the second individual.
Jeffery Stewart, 21, of New Philadelphia, was arrested today by members of the task force on a charge of murder. Stewart, who was identified with assistance from the public after task force members released a surveillance photograph of him this morning, is currently in the Tuscarawas County Jail.
A warrant on a charge of murder has been issued for the arrest of Robert Clark, 29, of Dennison. Clark should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Clark should immediately call 911.
According to investigators, Stewart and Clark are believed to be responsible for the murders of Doyle and Lillian Chumney, of Strasburg, who were reported missing from their Tuscarawas County home on Wednesday, January 21, 2015. Their bodies were discovered in their burned vehicle, which was found abandoned on a secluded road in Bakersville, Ohio, in Coshocton County the next day.
"I want to commend the state and local investigators who combined their resources and worked together aggressively over the past several days to focus in on these two suspects," said Attorney General DeWine. "Authorities on this task force have worked tirelessly to identify the individuals responsible for this brutal crime, and they will now focus their efforts on locating and arresting Mr. Clark."
The task force is made up of authorities from the following agencies: Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Coshocton County Sheriff's Office, Strasburg Police Department, Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Office, Coshocton County Prosecutor's Office, Tuscarawas County Prosecutor's Office, and Coshocton County Coroner's Office.
Jeffery Stewart:
Robert Clark:
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Media Contacts:
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Jill Del Greco: 614-466-3840