Ohio sheriff: Man shot, killed before house fire was set
LORAIN, Ohio (AP) – A sheriff in northern Ohio said a man found dead in a burning home earlier this week had been shot and killed before the blaze broke out.
Three men – ages 18, 19, and 21 – were charged Thursday in the killing. The Lorain County Sheriff’s Office said investigators believed the shooting was drug-related.
Eric Zaffer was found dead Tuesday inside his burning home in Brighton Township, about 45 miles southwest of Cleveland.
A county coroner said the 45-year-old Zaffer was shot once in the chest before the group allegedly set fire to the house.
Investigators said one of the three men in custody admitted to shooting Zaffer.
Authorities said a break-in at a country club on the morning of the fire led them to the three men.