The 911 call imbedded in this story includes explicit language. Adult discretion is advised.
ASHLAND — A man who was injured in a shooting incident that left another man dead on Friday night is considered a suspect in the case, according to Ashland County Sheriff’s chief deputy David Blake.
Jason R. Gardner, 39, was found dead after sheriff’s deputies were called to the home at the 1200 block on County Road 1153.
Deputies also found an older man in the house when they arrived, injured from an apparent fight. Blake said Wednesday that man is Stanley Gardner, Jason Gardner’s father.
Stanley Gardner was released from the hospital on Wednesday, and was transferred to the Ashland County Jail. He will likely be charged with a crime on Thursday, Blake said.
According to a copy of the 911 call obtained by Ashland Source, Emma Kulbis, Stanley Gardner’s soon-to-be daughter-in-law went to check on him after her family hadn’t heard from him for a day.
When she arrived, she found her future father-in-law with eyes swollen shut, blood covering his face, a massive swollen hand, and he was mumbling incoherently.
“He looks like he was in a massive fight or something,” she told the 911 dispatcher.
She added that he is on hospice care and suffers from congestive heart failure.
He asked her to help him up and told her not to call 911, but she called anyway, she said.
She also said Gardner lives with one of his sons, who ACSO confirmed as Jason Gardner, but she didn’t know where he was during the call.
“I don’t know where he is, and frankly he scares me so I don’t know, I really need someone to get here,” she told the dispatcher.
Jason Gardner was later found dead and apparently shot to death, according to Lt. Don Sims in a published report.
Sheriff’s detectives later obtained a search warrant, and continued processing the crime scene last Friday.
The Ashland County Coroner’s Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation were also called to the scene.
