Austintown man found dead in fire at his home

[yfdgricker]

Austintown man found dead in fire at his home
Story from the Youngstown Vindicator Published August 19, 2010 By Elise Franco

Police questioned him as suspect in sex crime

Austintown - Police say a man questioned about a sex crime, alleged by a 15-year-old boy, apparently killed himself Tuesday night.

Detective Sgt. Ray Holmes said he’d questioned Keith A. Leonard, 51, that day about a sex offense alleged in mid-July. Holmes wouldn’t comment on that case, other than to say it is now closed.

Leonard was found dead Tuesday evening in the charred bathroom of his Woodmere Drive home.

He was “burned beyond recognition,” a police report said.

In July, according to a separate police report, Leonard propositioned a 15-year-old boy who was at the Woodmere Drive home doing landscaping work. The report said the boy was offered $500 to allow Leonard to perform a sex act on him.

Holmes said he questioned Leonard about this Tuesday morning.

Assistant Fire Chief Andy Frost Jr. said Leonard was found dead about 10 p.m. that day, after a neighbor heard his smoke alarm going off and called the Austintown Fire Department.

Frost said most of the damage, about $3,000 worth, was contained to the bathroom.

He said the fire department has been asked by the State Fire Marshal’s office not to comment further.

The fire’s cause is under investigation by the state, but Detective Sgt. Kathy Dina said a grill was found in the bathroom.

Though police are not sure how the fire started, Dina said bringing a grill indoors and lighting the charcoal is a known method of suicide. The burning coals produce carbon monoxide and deplete oxygen.

“At this time it looks like it was a suicide,” Dina said.

Police found a note in the living room warning those who entered the residence of “poisonous gases,” she said.

The fire department did not detect carbon monoxide but the state fire marshal took samples in the house and could have different results, Dina said.

“Until the coroner’s report comes back and tells me how he died, we won’t know for sure,” she said.

Leonard was an employee at Farmers National Bank in Austintown and a member of Austintown Kiwanis Club.

Rick Jamrozik, Mahoning County coroner investigator, said an autopsy is scheduled for today.