x
Breaking News
More () »

Two people found dead in Seneca County backyard

Both people had gunshot wounds.

REPUBLIC, Ohio — The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office has opened an investigation after two people were found dead in a backyard in rural Seneca County.

The sheriff's office says they were called to a home on the 6400 block of East Township Road 106 east of Tiffin on Sunday.

When deputies and emergency services arrived they found 52-year-old Erik Werling and 52-year-old Dawn Werling, lying in the backyard of the home, both deceased with gunshot wounds.

The sheriff’s office says it appears one of the deceased sustained a gunshot wound and the other sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but says more investigation is necessary to make a conclusive statement on exactly what happened.

In the meantime, the sheriff’s office says they are opening a “questionable death” investigation to determine the circumstances that led to the victims’ deaths.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is also involved in the investigation.

MORE FROM WTOL 11: 

Want more from WTOL 11?  

➡️ Download the WTOL 11 weather app for the latest local 10-day forecast and live radar! 

➡️ Download the WTOL 11 news app here

Get a fresh start to your morning and wrap up your day with the latest news and your WTOL11 Weather forecast delivered right to your inbox! WTOL's Your Morning Blast and Your Evening Blast deliver stories from northwest Ohio, southeast Michigan and beyond to keep you informed. Click here to get on the list!   

Stay up to date on what's happening in your community with a 24/7 live stream and on-demand content from WTOL 11+. 
Our free WTOL 11+ apps are available on Roku and Firetv. 
WTOL 11+ features the latest breaking news and weather, plus daily talk shows, coverage of your favorite sports teams from Locked On, fact-checking from VERIFY and the latest trending stories from Daily Blast Live.   

Looking for the lowest current local gas prices? Check out the WTOL 11 gas price tracker, powered by Gas Buddy, here

Before You Leave, Check This Out