Wednesday, June 21, 2017
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
The Trumbull County Coroner’s office ruled the body found in Mosquito Lake last Friday is that of Travis Shaffer, 16, who was reported missing from his home the day before.
His death was ruled an accidental drowning.
Shaffer, who lived on state Route 305 in Bazetta Township, was reported missing Thursday morning after leaving home about 1:30 a.m. His father’s car, which he drove from home, was found along the shore of Mosquito Lake near the marina at about 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
Various emergency crews used boats, drones, dogs and diving suits to search the lake for parts of two days before they found Shaffer’s body about 200 yards off shore from his father’s car.
When Shaffer left home, he was wearing only shorts and flip flops with no cell- phone or wallet, his family said. A pair of flip flops was found in the water near his father’s car. A park ranger said the boy was wearing swimming trunks when he was found.
Also on Tuesday, the coroner ruled that Donald Hummer, 60, of Youngstown Road in Niles, died of natural causes, the result of a heart attack.
Police said a citizen spotted Hummer’s body about 11:30 a.m. Thursday in a storm drain near the AT&T store on Youngstown Road across from the Eastwood Mall.
Earlier Tuesday, the coroner ruled the death of Brandon Sample, 22, of Warren a homicide as a result of a gunshot wound to the head.
The coroner’s office said Monday it had identified the body as that of Sample. It was found in a rural area of Bristol Township.
Police found the body about 10 a.m Thursday while Warren police were following up on leads in Sample’s disappearance.
Sample, of Garfield Drive Northeast, left home late June 9, telling family members he was taking a friend to Akron. His father texted with him about a 4:30 a.m. Monday, but afterward, he received no further response.
Niles police found Sample’s car Tuesday morning in the woods near the Niles Greenway bike trail.
The Warren Police Department will lead the investigation with help from the Trumbull County Homicide Task Force.