MANSFIELD—On Tuesday afternoon, a 30-year-old man was apprehended in Mansfield regarding the case of a 13-year-old girl who was discovered deceased in an alley in Akron on June 12. Akron Police investigators designated Keith Early as a person of interest and subsequently issued an arrest warrant, as stated in an official press release from Akron Police. With the assistance of law enforcement partners, investigators traced Early to Mansfield and successfully took him into custody without encountering any resistance.
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Early was then transferred to Akron and formally processed into Summit County Jail on multiple charges, including abuse of a corpse, failure to report a crime, and obstruction of official business, as detailed in the provided release. According to court records, as of Friday morning, Early’s arraignment in municipal or county court had not yet taken place.
The police have communicated that their investigation is ongoing, with detectives diligently working to ascertain the precise circumstances surrounding the teenager’s demise. Additionally, they are striving to identify any other individuals who may have been involved in any capacity.
The young victim, identified by the medical examiner as Melanie Elkins, was found lifeless on the afternoon of Monday, June 12, in Minordy Place, an alley situated close to the 400 block of S. Arlington Street.