Richard Koffel, ex-sheriff, dies

EAST LIVERPOOL — A longtime former Columbiana County sheriff died while on a trip to Washington, D.C.

The county sheriff’s office confirmed that Richard Koffel, 67, died of an apparent heart attack around 7 p.m. Thursday. The department had no further information on his death. Funeral arrangements were not immediately available.

Koffel, who had served as county sheriff for 17 years, retired in December 2000 after deciding not to seek re-election to another term.

He began his career in law enforcement in 1963 as a patrolman in Lisbon and joined the sheriff’s department in 1967.

He was chief investigator when the sheriff at the time, Robert Beresford, retired with a year left in his term. Koffel said he had to be talked into taking the appointment to complete Beresford’s term.

The ex-Marine and bicycling enthusiast who kept pictures of John Wayne on his office walls, investigated about two dozen homicide cases during his career, saying that he derived great satisfaction from solving a homicide and seeing the perpetrator brought to justice.