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Trumbull officials ID body found in car wreckage in Niles swamp
By Ed Runyan
NILES
The Niles Police Department and Trumbull County Coroner Dr. Humphrey Germaniuk have confirmed that the decomposed body taken from a car found in a swamp in Weathersfield Township is that of Jorry Palm, 28, who has been missing since June 9.
Dr. Germaniuk identified Palm by comparing the remains with dental records showing a chipped tooth, restorations and root structure, said Capt. Ken Criswell of Niles police.
There are no signs of foul play in Palm’s death, but Dr. Germaniuk will conduct additional examinations to confirm the preliminary findings, Criswell said.
The cause of death is drowning associated with blunt force trauma associated with a traffic crash, Criswell said. The accident started in Weathersfield Township, but the car came to rest in multiple pieces on its roof in Niles.
Dr. Germaniuk will not perform any toxicology tests on the body because of the amount of decomposition, Criswell said.
Palm’s Mazda was found on the west side of state Route 46 just north of Salt Springs Road, where it ended up after leaving the road at a high rate of speed, hitting an area of concrete and brick debris and continuing through a wooded area and over a ravine.
The vehicle landed off the road in a low-lying swamp. It could have been there without detection since June 9 because the location is remote, Niles Detective Dan Atkins said. The closest landmark is the Niles Greenway bike trail.
Niles and Akron police worked together along with friends and relatives to find Palm after he went missing.
Atkins said it is believed Palm was last seen about 6 a.m. June 9 in Niles. He had been in an Akron tavern before that and used his bank card in an ATM machine early that morning.
Palm is a Niles native who was living in Akron and working as a computer engineer for Lockheed-Martin in Akron at the time of his disappearance. His mother, Cheri Van Dyke, lives in Niles.
She and her former husband, Steve Palm, struggled for weeks seeking clues to find their son. A website was started, fliers were passed out and news conferences were held. Searches were conducted on foot and in the air.
“I’m sorry the outcome wasn’t better,” Steve Palm said Thursday. “It was, and this is a father speaking, an unfortunate accident that might have been avoided if my son made better choices.”
Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. Palm, who was unmarried, graduated from Kent State University.
The family thanked the public and Akron police Detective Dalvin Horton for their help and prayers.
“We felt every prayer,” Steve Palm said. “And we were very blessed to work with some amazing people. Everyone cared as fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters.”
The Akron Beacon Journal contributed to this report.