Orrville police arrest 2nd suspect in murder of missing 81-year-old man

ORRVILLE, Ohio (WOIO) - Orrville Police confirmed a second arrest has been made in the murder an 81-year-old whose body was found a day after his family reported him missing.

A family member of 81-year-old Edwin “Shorty” Eberle told police Sunday afternoon nobody had seen Eberle since the day before.

“When [people] stopped seeing him on the routes he would go from the downtown area to his apartment, that raised concerns about something being wrong,” said Police Chief Matt Birkbeck.

Police found a bicycle belonging to Eberle on West Market Street, near the residence of Stephanie E. Marks, an acquaintance of Eberle. “It wasn’t uncommon for him to be in that residence. We were told he would visit with the individuals who lived there and they knew each other," said Birkbeck.

Orrville police found Marks Monday and, after questioning, detained her and obtained a search warrant.

During the search, police found Eberle’s body inside of 624 1/2 West Market Street.

Police arrested Marks for her involvement in this case and took her to the Wayne County Jail.

The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested 54-year-old Ricky Ball, who was wanted by the Orville Police Department and U.S. Marshals for the murder, according to police.

The Marshals and Ohio State Highway Patrol stopped a passenger bus on I-80 west of Sandusky on its way to Toledo and found Ball riding on it, the report stated.

Police said Ball was safely removed from the bus without incident and turned over to the Orville Polie Department.

The case is still under investigation by Orville Police and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliot stated, “This is a heinous murder of an 81-year-old member of a quiet law-abiding community. As the entire Orrville community mourns, we are committed to bringing justice to the victim’s family.”

Anyone with information should call Orrville Police at 330-684-5025.

You can also send an anonymous tip by texting “OPD” to 847411.

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