Dog finds homicide victim in ditch

YOUNGSTOWN — A dog discovered the body of the city’s latest homicide victim.

The Mahoning County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Ronnell Matthews, 20, of Youngstown.

A 67-year-old Vaughn Avenue man walking his dog shortly before 5 a.m. Wednesday on Liberty Road, near Atkinson Avenue on the city’s East Side, told police his pet led him to the area where the body was laying.

Matthews’ body was on the east side of the road partially in a ditch on his right side — bleeding from the back of his head from a gun-shot wound, according to a police report.

There were also two spent shell casings lying beside the victim’s body.

Matthews is the city’s ninth homicide victim so far this year.

For the complete story, read Thursday’s Vindicator or vindy.com