Ohio man charged in death of missing woman found in vacant home

COSHOCTON COUNTY, Ohio — A 19-year-old Ohio man has been charged with the death of a missing woman whose body was found inside a vacant home over the weekend, investigators said.

Blake A. Grewell was taken into custody Monday and charged with aggravated murder in connection to the disappearance and death of 20-year-old Brianna Ratliff, the Coshocton County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Tuesday.

Investigators described Grewell as a “former friend” of the victim. No details on what evidence led to the arrest of Grewell or the charge against him were immediately provided, Fox reported.

Ratliff was last seen Thursday at about 7 p.m. in the Hall Park area of the city of Coshocton, about 70 miles northeast of Columbus, the sheriff’s office previously said. She said she was going to the local Pit Stop gas station, located at 629 Chestnut Street, but was not heard from again.

Ratliff was reported missing the next day.

On Sunday, a search party looking for Ratliff called the sheriff’s office to report that they found a dead female matching the 20-year-old’s description in a vacant residence in the 1800 block of Chestnut Street, investigators said. Officials identified the body as Ratliff.

Coshocton County Coroner Douglas Virostko confirmed to the Coshocton Tribune that Ratliff suffered a traumatic death but said he could not elaborate due to the ongoing investigation.

No further details on Ratliff’s death were immediately released.

The sheriff’s office said more charges were expected against Grewell as the Coshocton County Prosecutor’s Office continues to review the case.