By BOBBY WARREN
Staff Writer
RITTMAN -- Police continue to investigate the suspicious death of a 37-year-old woman, and despite an "odd-looking scene," there were no indications of foul play at the Sunset Drive home, according to the police and coroner.
Sgt. Robert Shows stated at this point it is speculation, but the death of Benita Petrekovich appears to be natural, though unexpected.
"It was an odd-looking scene," Wayne County Coroner Dr. Amy Jolliff said. "I think she was trying to treat herself for lice and had a bag over her head."
A Rittman EMS squad was dispatched at 4:51 p.m. Oct. 4 to the Sunset Drive address, and the police were there to assist, Sgt. Roger Pauley said.
However, once it was determined Petrekovich was dead, the scene was turned over the police, EMS Chief Andy Baillis said.
"There is no sign of any foul play, no sign of injury and no body trauma," Shows said. "We don't know the exact cause."
"We worried somebody did something to her, but nothing panned out," Jolliff said. "There was no evidence of trauma."
"We looked really hard to see if anyone else could be put at the scene, and we couldn't," Shows said. Family members were present throughout the day, he added.
Because the Police Department has not received a toxicology report back from Jolliff's office, the death remains an open investigation, Pauley said.
Once the toxicology report comes back, it is possible the death might change from natural to accidental, Jolliff said.
Luke Reynolds, an investigator for the Coroner's Office, said a visual autopsy has been performed, and it did not reveal anything out of the ordinary.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation was called to process the scene.
Reporter Bobby Warren can be reached at 330-287-1639 or
[email protected]. He's @BobbyWarrenTDR on Twitter.
By BOBBY WARREN