Trumbull County coroner to autopsy body of man found in Liberty

Staff report

LIBERTY

The Trumbull County coroner will autopsy 28-year-old Cory Davner of Canfield, who was found dead Sunday evening at the 1100 block of Mansell Drive.

Police are investigating the cause of Davner’s death after neighbors found his body in a garden area, under a picket fence at a home next door to where Davner had been dog-sitting, according to a police report.

The victim’s mother told police she believed there had been a struggle in the driveway, because there was a broken landscaping light along the driveway and a matted- down plant.

Davner’s mother reported to police at about 1:43 p.m. Sunday that Davner had been missing since Friday. She said she reached out to Davner’s friends and his Austintown employer, who said he had not worked since Thursday.

When Davner’s mother arrived at the house where he was supposed to be dog-sitting, Davner’s Jeep was parked in the driveway with his wallet and phone on the seat, and the Jeep had no doors or windows attached. The wallet contained several hundred dollars in cash and credit cards, the police report said.

Police met several of Davner’s family members and the homeowner at the house. The homeowner asked police not to search the house because Davner’s mother already had, and she stated her dogs would be ‘traumatized’ by strangers being in the house.

Liberty Township Police Chief Toby Meloro and Capt. Ray Buhala could not be reached to comment Monday.