Akron police were interviewing a couple who tried to elude officers inside a car owned by a man found dead inside his Ellet home Thursday morning, officers said.
The body of Leonard McHaddon, 68, was discovered about 8 a.m. in a bedroom of his Ripley Avenue home when his son, Todd, arrived to take him to a doctor’s appointment.
Police Lt. Rick Edwards declined to discuss how McHaddon died, but said the death is considered a homicide. An autopsy was expected to be performed today at the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Akron police have investigated two other homicides since Friday. Arrests have been made in those cases.
In Thursday’s case, police arrested a man and woman who officers stopped about 11:50 a.m. The couple were inside McHaddon’s white 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. Officers said the driver sped away before stopping outside the U.S. Bank on Canton Road in Ellet, about a mile from McHaddon’s home.
Police Lt. David Whiddon said the car and other items were missing from McHaddon’s home. Family members were gathered at the house Thursday and talking to police. They declined to speak to reporters.
Police said the man found inside McHaddon’s car has several tattoos on his body. He appears to match the description of a suspicious person seen milling around McHaddon’s home about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.
There was no sign of forced entry into the home, and the man arrested is an acquaintance of McHaddon, police said. Detectives were questioning the couple Thursday afternoon.
No charges had been announced.
“I feel like we’ve made good progress right now,” Whiddon said. “But we’re still in the early stages of our investigation.”
McHaddon was a father of three adult children and several grandchildren. He was widowed in 2008 when his wife, Rosemary, died at the age of 61. The couple had been married for 36 years and lived on the well-groomed residential street for many years.
Anyone with additional information about the crime is asked to call Akron police at 330-375-2490. Anonymous tips can be left at http://akronohio.gov/asp/tip.html.
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.
