ASHLAND — A man accused of killing his son two years ago, with a criminal trial slated to begin next month, was found dead in his home Monday, authorities confirmed.
Stanley Gardner, 73, was found “sitting in a chair not responding” late Monday morning, according to Ashland County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Dave Blake.
Blake said Gardner’s death, reported through a 911 call at 11:31 a.m., did not appear to be suspicious.
“It just looks like he was on a chair,” he said. “It appears to be natural causes.”
Gardner stood accused of shooting his son, Jason Gardner, on Sept. 2, 2022. The shooting also allegedly occurred in Stanley Gardner’s house, located in the 1200 block of County Road 1153.
Court records show a trial was scheduled to begin Oct. 22 in Ashland County Common Pleas Court for an aggravated murder charge.
Neither attorney involved in the case — Ashland County Prosecutor Chris Tunnell and defense attorney Don Wick — were immediately available to comment.
The Ashland County Coroner’s Office was not contacted following the death, according to Beth Jackenheimer, an investigator with the office. The coroner’s office is only contacted when the death is unnatural, unexpected, or if a primary care physician is unavailable to respond to the death, she said.
An incident report with the ACSO from a responding deputy said Heyl Funeral Home “arrived on scene and took possession of the body.”
‘I think I just found a man dead’
A woman delivering meals for the Ashland County Council on Aging found Gardner in a reclining chair. She told a 911 dispatcher she thought Gardner had been “gone for a while.”
“I think I just found a man dead,” the caller said. “He’s sitting in his reclining chair and it appears it could be (natural) because there’s like a glass laying on his chest and he’s slumped over.”
Sandy Enderby, director of the Ashland County Council on Aging, confirmed Gardner had been a client of the agency for years. He was one of nearly 400 people receiving meals delivered daily throughout the county, Enderby said.
Enderby said meal deliverers are instructed to knock on the door and wait for an invitation inside. Sometimes the door is left unlocked, she said.
“But we have to lay eyes on the person to deliver the meal to that person. Sometimes we’re the only person they see,” she said.
Enderby said the woman — a part-time worker who was hired only two months ago — had delivered a meal to Gardner on Friday, and he was alive. But the deliverer noticed the food from the previous day sitting untouched on the counter.
So the woman contacted a member of the Gardner family and the agency planned on following up with him to discuss the importance of eating a nutritious meal.
“Sometimes (our clients) forget to eat,” Enderby said. “That’s why our service is so essential. We check on them — all over the county — daily.”
Competency question
On Aug. 14, Gardner indicated he was of a clear mind to stand trial.
His attorney also expressed confidence his client was competent. A competency evaluation was nevertheless ordered by Stimpert, and the judge scheduled a hearing date for Sept. 30 to discuss it.
Gardner had experienced some health issues and a leg issue that caused pain over the summer, according to Wick, who shared those details during hearings in July and August.