Suspect in Belmont County Double Stabbing Found Dead
An early-morning manhunt for the suspect in the stabbing of two people ended Wednesday afternoon when Edward Reed was found dead.
Reed, 49, who lived at a house on Ohio 331, Uniontown-Flushing road in the Uniontown area, apparently took his own life.
The two victims were Reed's wife and daughter.
"The husband stabbed the wife and daughter at the residence," Belmont County Chief Deputy James Zusack. "The wife and daughter luckily got out and called us from a nearby residence."
He did not comment on the severity of the wounds or status of the victims, but noted both had undergone surgery.
"Around 7:14 a.m. we received a call of a stabbing on Uniontown-Flushing Road. The victims were found at a separate residence. Medical treatment was given to them and they were transported to Wheeling Hospital.
"We arrived at the crime scene, at the residence, trying to locate the suspect. We cleared the house. He was not in the house at that time. We declared he was at large at this point," Zusack said. He said law enforcement found another grim sight, a dog in the house had apparently been stabbed to death that morning.
A second dog was found unharmed outside the house and taken into custody by the Belmont County Animal Rescue League.
With a potentially dangerous suspect on the loose, the sheriff's office quickly put the word out and deputies and Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers were visible on the roads. An Ohio State Highway Patrol Aviation helicopter was also seen surveilling the area. Closer to Interstate 70, the Belmont Career Center was on lockdown.
"Our main concern then was notifying the citizens of Belmont County of the suspect, his name, of course, and that he was considered armed and dangerous," Zusack said.
Reed's body was found close to 1 p.m. near the crime scene.
"It appeared to be self-inflicted," Zusack said, adding Reed may have been suffering mental or emotional issues.
"We're sad how it ended, but he's no longer endangering anyone else," Zusack said.
The motive for the apparent stabbing has not been determined. Zusack said law enforcement had responded to more minor complaints of incidents in the house in the past.
"Nothing that would alarm us of that incident happening," he said.
The case remains under investigation.