Editor's Note:
This story was updated at 1:54 p.m. to reflect comments from Dave Lay, Ashland's chief of police.
It was updated at 1:35 p.m. to reflect details gleaned from the incident's 911 call and other public records available.
ASHLAND — Police are investigating the death of a man found in a creek behind Ashland Cemetery on Monday evening.
The Ashland County Coroner’s Office identified the man as Brent Hayton. He was 48.
Jenny Taylor, an investigator with the coroner’s office, said Hayton was found in water. She said officials are still trying to determine an estimated time of death.
His body was transported to the Lucas County Coroner’s Office for an autopsy.
Taylor said Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation helped on the call Monday evening. Officials first responded at 5:33 p.m.
Two youths found the body and called police at 5:18 p.m. A call summary report from the Wooster-Ashland Regional Council of Governments showed they are ages 15 and 11.
They said they entered the cemetery off Walnut Street “by the red signs,” on the cemetery’s east side.
“(The body was) face down in the water, but (he) had blue jeans and I think (he was) wearing a hoodie,” one caller said.
At one point during the nine-minute call, obtained by Ashland Source through a public records request, the dispatcher asked if the caller’s parents were home. The caller said yes, the mother was.
“We came in and told her because we got scared,” the caller said.
‘We really don’t know’
Ashland Police is leading an investigation into the circumstances that led to Hayton’s death. Chief Dave Lay said detectives do not suspect any foul play.
“This is an active investigation,” he said. “We’re trying to back track his steps. If anyone had contact with him in the last several days, we ask that you contact detective James Coey.”
Coey can be reached by calling 419-289-3639, extension 1050.
Taylor, the investigator with the coroner’s office, said she didn’t know if there was any foul play involved in Hayton’s death.
“We don’t know what happened,” she said. “We really don’t know.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.