Investigators on Monday called Shawn Grate a serial killer after he confessed to detectives the murder of a fourth victim in Marion County, but 10TV has learned the alleged murderer could be linked to a fifth victim.
The Mansfield Police Department confirms it has reopened a year old case into the death of Rebekah Leicy. Police say they found her body in March 2015 in a wooded area in Ashland County.
Detectives would not comment on any connection to Grate, but believed more information would be released on Tuesday morning.
The timing of the case reopening comes as Grate confessed to investigators the murder of a woman in Marion County.
The CBS affiliate WOIO in Cleveland also reports, Candice Cunningham is the woman found last week in Richland County. Grate told police about her too.
The timeline to the alleged murders starts in 2007, when police found the body of a woman in Marion County. Investigators say Shawn Grate admitted to killing the woman who sold him magazines.
Mansfield Police then reopen the death investigation of Rebekah Leicy, whose body was found in March of 2015. Detective would not confirm if her death is linked to Grate.
Investigators say they found the body of Candice Cunningham who was dumped in a wooded area of Richland County in June and Grate admitted to killing her.
Last week police found the bodies of Stacey Stanley and Elizabeth Griffin in an abandoned house in Ashland.
It’s been almost one week since Grate’s arrest and the shock hasn’t worn off much for the neighbors just yards away from a crime scene. It has since sparked conversations about safety between parents and their kids.
From their front window the Bender family can still see the crime tape wrapped around an abandoned property on Park Avenue East.
"We can see where it happened and where it took place,” Theresa Bender said.
The small, Richland County neighborhood hasn’t felt the same since a woman’s body was discovered there.
"The first thing I think of especially with my girls and everything is, the safety,” Keith Bender said.
Keith Bender would know; he’s lived there for 20 years.
"I've got two daughters that still live here and my wife. And to think that there was something like that going on 100 yards away, it's not very comforting that's for sure,” Keith Bender said.
Bender sat on his porch with his 23-year-old daughter Theresa to tell 10TV he’s stunned a suspected serial killer is now allegedly tied to the murders of 4 women.
"With the on-going investigation my fear is, is that there's more,” Keith Bender said.
Shawn Grate confessed to the latest, an unsolved murder out of Marion County, and police need help identifying the woman.
"She was not reported missing from Marion County and we've researched all databases we can't find anything in Ohio that would lead us to her identification,’ Marion County Sheriff Tim Bailey said.
Now, Mansfield Police have reopened a 2015 death investigation into Rebekah Leicy. Detectives would not comment if the case is connected to Grate, but if so, she could be the 5th body tied to him.
"Yes I remember the name. Yeah I do remember the name,” Keith and Theresa Bender said.
Candice Cunningham is believed to be the woman found across the street from the Benders. Images of a crime scene they say they won’t forget, and lessons learned by a dad and his daughter.
“Educate my kids on what to do you know, and to be as prepared as possible even though you have no idea which way it's coming. Yes, you can't really prepare for it,” the Benders said.
Shawn Grate has been charged with two counts of murder and one count of kidnapping in the incident that led to his arrest in Ashland. Grate has not yet been charged in Richland or Marion counties.
Previous Coverage
- Police find three bodies after rescuing abducted woman in Ashland
- 'Please hurry,' abducted Ashland woman says in dramatic 911 call
- Ashland abduction suspect has lengthy criminal history
- Suspect charged after woman abducted, bodies found in Ashland
- Judge sets $1M bond for Ashland man in slayings, abduction case; second victim identified
- Suspect in Ashland murders confesses to Marion County killing