By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
While the suspect in four Bucyrus homicides will be in Municipal Court this morning, the families of the victims, along with the entire city, will still be trying to cope with what happened and why.
The bodies of 55-year-old Billy Jack Chatman and 67-year-old Freelin Hensley were found Monday afternoon while those of 65-year-old Darrell Lewis and 65-year-old Gerald Lee Smith were discovered Tuesday. All four victims were found in their homes and all four had suffered wounds from blunt force trauma.
A preliminary autopsy report from the Lucas County Coroner’s Office is expected this morning. A specific cause of death is expected to be determined by the coroner. Crawford County Coroner Dr. Michael Johnson has ruled all four deaths a homicide.
The four were acquainted with each other and Smith actually lived in the basement of the man authorities believe is responsible for his death.
Forty-one-year-old Donald Hoffman of Bucyrus is incarcerated at the Crawford County Justice Center for a probation violation. Hoffman’s felony record in Crawford County consists of a conviction on three counts of passing bad checks in 2010.
Hoffman pleaded guilty to those charges and was sentenced on each count to 10 months in prison. Those sentences were ordered to be served concurrently. Hoffman was also ordered to pay restitution in that case of $3,844.16.
According to a Sheriff’s Office release, Hoffman is the man considered a person of interest in the four homicides and will be in Municipal Court this 9 o’clock this morning for a hearing in front of Judge Sean Leuthold.
The City of Bucyrus will hold a community prayer gathering at 1 p.m. at City Hall. Local clergy will lead prayer and meet individually with people wishing to express personal worries.