Authorities believe an Akron man was lured to his death in the Craigslist shootings months earlier than three others who were attacked.
Ralph H. Geiger, 56, died around Aug. 9, according to the Noble County coroner. It’s one day after he checked out of an Akron shelter and about the time Geiger’s closest friends said the handyman left town to take a job on a farm near Dover.
The coroner’s death certificate says Geiger, like two other victims, died of a gunshot wound to the head. And like one other victim, his body was found in a shallow grave on a property located in Noble County. A third was found in Akron.
Summit County prosecutors say they intend to charge Richard Beasley of Akron with aggravated murder and other charges and will seek the death penalty. He is believed to be the prime suspect who placed the bogus Internet job ads that led to the deaths of three men and the shooting injury to a fourth.
Brogan Rafferty, 16, is charged in Noble County with aggravated murder and attempted murder. He is accused of helping Beasley in at least two shootings — a fatal attack on David Pauley, 51, of Virginia, and the Nov. 6 wounding of Scott Davis, 48, formerly of Canton. He is expected to be tried as an adult. A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 15.
Beasley mentored Rafferty, a junior at Stow-Munroe Falls High School, for several years. He volunteered at an Akron church and also operated his own transitional facility to help the downtrodden.
He is being held in the Summit County Jail under a $1 million bond on unrelated charges of drug trafficking and compelling prostitution. He has told his attorney he is innocent of any of the shootings.
Geiger’s body was found on the same day authorities recovered the body of Timothy Kern, 47, of Massillon. Kern, who had been shot multiple times, was found in a wooded area near the former Rolling Acres Mall in Akron.
According to records maintained by the Haven of Rest shelter in Akron, Geiger checked out of the facility on Aug. 8 to take a farm job in Dover. Friends said they tried contacting Geiger later, but were unsuccessful. His cell-phone number eventually was shut down and assigned to another customer.
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
