HILLSBORO — A Highland County Grand Jury on Tuesday indicted three men for manslaughter and other criminal offenses related to the apparent murder of a Clermont County man whose body was found in a New Market field earlier this year.
Stoney James Behler, 37, Cincinnati, Steve A. Davis, 40, Williamsburg, and John Daniel Disney, 39, Cincinnati, were each indicted on one count of involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, one count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony, and one count of abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony.
Behler was indicted on one additional count of having weapons under disability, a third-degree felony.
According to the indictment, the charges are related to the death of Dakota Spurlock, a 24-year-old Clermont County man whose body was found in a field near New Market at the end of February.
The body, which was discovered by a farmer at the entrance to the field, had sustained a single gunshot wound to the chest, officials said.
According to online records, Behler and Disney are incarcerated at the Clermont County jail. Highland County Sheriff Donnie Barrera said Tuesday afternoon that Davis remained at large, and was believed to be in the Clermont County area.
Barrera said investigators believe Spurlock was killed in Clermont County, then brought to Highland County and dumped in the field. He would not disclose a motive.
As previously reported, online court records in Clermont, Hamilton and Montgomery County show Spurlock had a criminal record, including drug crimes and firearm violations.
A Facebook page appearing to belong to Spurlock showed him and others in multiple photos holding guns and wads of cash.
Barrera said the matter remains under investigation.
Three other men were indicted Tuesday for abduction and other offenses related to an apparent kidnapping in Greenfield.
Bradley S. Bolender, 35, Greenfield, Matthew Jordan, 25, Bainbridge, and James Hester, 30, Bainbridge, were each indicted on one count aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony, one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and two counts of abduction, a third-degree felony.
Greenfield Police Chief Jeremiah Oyer said Tuesday all three were arrested by Greenfield police after the alleged incident, but declined to comment further.
In other indictments, Ian Andrew Cluxton, 39, Hillsboro, was indicted on two counts of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and one count of endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor, after he allegedly shot another person in the chest with a crossbow.
The victim was originally listed in critical condition after being taken to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, but later improved.
According to the Hillsboro Police Department, the child endangering charge was filed because a child was in the room, between the victim and Cluxton, when the incident took place.
Cluxton’s indictment included a forfeiture specification.
Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.
