5th body possibly connected to Shawn Grate being investigated

Police say Grate admitted a Marion County woman, depicted in this sketch, was his first victim.... — Police say Grate admitted a Marion County woman, depicted in this sketch, was his first victim. (Source: Marion County Sheriff)

The woman was found in 2007. She has not been identified. (Source: Can you Identify me website)

MARION, OH (WOIO) - Another body possibly connected to Ashland murder suspect Shawn Grate is being investigated in the Mansfield area Monday morning.

Grate, charged with the murders of two women in Ashland, entered a not guilty plea Monday morning in court. Grate was arrested on Sept. 13 after a woman called police saying that he had abducted her. She was able to call 911 while he was sleeping.

MORE: Ashland abduction 911 call transcript

While processing the scene, police discovered two bodies, later identified as missing women Elizabeth Griffin and Stacey Stanley. Police said Grate led them to a third body buried in a wooded area behind a home in Mansfield. The name of the female victim has not yet been released, but sources say she is from Canton and had not been reported missing. A Mercyhurt anthropologist is working on her ID now.

On Saturday, the Marion County Sheriff's Department confirmed that they are looking at another body possibly connected to the case. According to the police, Grate confessed to killing the woman and said she was his first kill.

Police say Grate killed her in 2005 after he became upset that she was delivering newspapers and magazines to everyone's house but his. Her body was found on Victory Rd. in Marion on March 10, 2007, and still has not been identified. She is depicted in the sketches on the left from the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

MORE: Marion Co. Sheriff says 2005 murder is Shawn Grate's 1st kill

Grate was arraigned on Friday on two counts of murder and one count of kidnapping. His bond was set at $1M. In Monday's hearing, Grate waived his right to a speedy trial and preliminary hearing. His case will be bound over to a grand jury. He'll be back in court Sept. 29 at 8 a.m.

A fifth body is being investigated in the Mansfield area Monday morning. The body was recovered previously by authorities. BCI is out in the area looking for the homicide location site. Sources say the woman is Rebekah Leicy, who was killed in March of 2015.

The Marion County Sheriff believes Grate will be connected to more homicides.

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