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Coroner Finds Glouster Man Died Of Blunt Force Trauma

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The body which was recovered at 68 Locust St. in Glouster on Monday has been positively identified today as 63 year-old Paul E. Roberts, according to Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn.

Blackburn also disclosed that the preliminary coroner’s ruling on Roberts’ cause of death is blunt force trauma.

Law enforcement officers found Roberts’ body in a well underneath the back porch of his residence. It took until Tuesday to positively identify him.

Paul E. Roberts is the father of 40 year-old Paul J. Roberts who is currently in the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail on a pending felony vandalism charge.

Glouster Police responded to a report of vandalism at 68 Locust St. on Friday evening, according to Blackburn.  While at the scene, Paul J. Roberts, the son, was arrested and charged with the fifth degree felony of vandalism.  His girlfriend Ronda Degarmore also was arrested on a probation violation.

On Saturday, the Glouster Police along with the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Identification (BCI) began investigating the whereabouts of Paul E. Roberts.  Search warrants were executed and his body was found Monday evening.

The Athens County Prosecutors Office, BCI, the Glouster Police Department, the Athens Police Department, the Athens Fire Department and Ohio University Police all participated in the search.

Blackburn says the death is still under investigation and evidence will be presented to the Grand Jury on Monday, Oct. 28 to determine if anyone will be indicted in the matter. Meanwhile, Paul E. Roberts is being detained in the Regional Jail and his bond is currently set at $100,000.