SHILOH — Authorities are investigating an alleged homicide that happened sometime before Christmas in Shiloh.

Terrence Hamman, 76, was found dead in his bed in his 16 Rear Mechanic St. home on Dec. 24 by a sheriff’s deputy, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.

His son, Robert Hamman, 53, lived with his father and has not been located. The RCSO filed a missing person report for the man on Christmas Eve in the northern Richland County village of 620 people.

“(Robert Hamman) was missing from the house when we arrived,” a deputy wrote in the incident report. “The victim’s truck was also missing. The truck was located abandoned in Wyandot County after an accident or abandoned due to weather conditions.”

Terrence Hamman’s body was found by two of his other sons, William and Stephen. They told authorities their father and brother, Robert, had been in a dispute on the evening of Dec. 23.

During the dispute, Robert had taken his dad’s truck (a red 2021 Ram 1500) and crashed it into a ditch, according to an account of the situation by William Hamman. He then fled when the tow truck driver arrived and the truck was towed back to the house in Shiloh.

“William advised that Terrence told Robert to get out of his house. William advised that he called to check on Terrence later that night, but that he did not answer,” the deputy wrote.

Tom Stortz, an investigator with the Richland County Coroner’s Office, said Tuesday that Terrence Hamman’s death has been ruled a homicide. He said he died of a single gunshot wound, but declined to specify where he was shot.

Shiloh Death Investigation
Missing Person Report

The deputy who entered the home on Dec. 24 described it as a crime scene, with multiple areas throughout the house smeared in blood.

“There was a mop and bucket with water in it near the doorway, the water appeared to have a red tint to it,” he wrote. “The basement door … had what appeared to be smeared blood on it.

“There also appeared to be blood on the floor in front of the basement door … the bedroom had light-colored carpet with what appeared to be several blood stains. There were also several towels placed on the bedroom carpet that appeared to have blood stains on them as well.”

The deputy said he found the victim’s body in bed, covered with a blanket that only partially covered his head.