Monday, July 20th, 2020
Sheriff's office investigating possible suicide
By Leslie Gartrell
CELINA - The Mercer County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a Cincinnati man who allegedly died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Friday afternoon.
Raepheal Dell, 22, Cincinnati, had ben released from the Kosciusko County, Indiana Jail earlier on Friday, according to a news release from the Sheriff's Office on Saturday.
After his release, Dell was the suspect of a burglary/robbery in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where the victim of the robbery was shot.
Dell was also a suspect in a second robbery in Van Wert County. During the escape from the robbery, a person who attempted to stop the escape was dragged by the car as the suspect fled, according to the release.
Mercer County Deputies late Friday afternoon received an alert from Indiana and Van Wert County law enforcement for a male suspect who was suspected of violent crimes.
Deputies were advised that Dell was possibly in the St. Marys area due to a cell phone ping, which had been stolen during the Van Wert County robbery.
Shortly after 5 p.m., Mercer County Sheriff's Office Deputy Spencer Heinl found Dell, fitting the description of the suspect, on U.S. Route 33 at the intersection of Kuck Road. Dell reportedly was using a gas can to put gas into the car on the eastbound side of the roadway.
As Heinl pulled behind the car and turned on his roof lights, Dell reportedly saw him and walked to the passenger side of the vehicle to the driver's sides, ignoring Heinl's commands to stop, according to the release.
Dell reportedly entered the vehicle, and within seconds Heinl heard a gunshot. Heinl retreated to the rear of the patrol vehicle and radioed for assistance.
While he waited for assistance, Heinl continued yelling commands at Dell but received no response.
After eight minutes, backup units from Celina and St. Mary's Police Departments started to arrive, and Heinl and the other officers approached the vehicle behind a bullet resistant shield.
Officers located Dell inside the vehicle, allegedly deceased from an apparent self-inflicted AK 47 shot to his head.
Grey advised Mercer County Sheriff's detectives to investigate. The investigation revealed that the car Dell was driving was stolen from Kosciusko County, and Dell had apparently run out of gas at U.S. Route 33 and Kuck Road.
According to witnesses, the driver of a pick-up truck stopped near Dell. After Dell tried to enter the vehicle, the driver reportedly left the scene. The truck's occupants have not been identified but detectives would like to speak with them if they can be located, according to the release.
A short time later another vehicle reportedly stopped. Dell entered the vehicle which went to Tractor Supply Company in St. Mary's, where a woman entered the store alone. She was visibly upset and purchased a one gallon gas can, according to the release. The vehicle then went to the Shell station in St. Marys and purchased fuel.
The woman has not been identified but detectives would like to speak to her if she can be located and identified, according to the release.
The occupants of the truck and the woman who picked up Dell are not suspected of any wrong doing, the release said.
"The Mercer County Sheriff's Office is just trying to be as thorough as possible in determining the events that led up to Dell taking his life," the release reads.
Dell was transported to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office for an autopsy. The Cincinnati Division of Police assisted in notifying Dell's next of kin.
Assisting the Mercer County Sheriff's Office at the scene were the Celina Police Department, Saint Mary's Police Department, Rockford Police Department, Celina Fire Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Mercer County Emergency Response Volunteers.
