Coroner clash: Harwood affirms Reer suicide ruling; expert asks 'what evidence?'

Sheriff's botched investigation leaves family members questioning ruling

COLLINS, Oh. — In a detailed communication shared with the public, Huron County Coroner Jeffrey A. Harwood affirmed his ruling that the 2021 death of 76-year-old Doug Reer Sr. was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

But questions about multiple missteps and mistakes made by former Huron County Det. Sgt. Shannon Lyons and EMTs who responded to Reer’s Wells Road home the day he died continue to fuel speculation about the true cause of his death,

Dr. Harwood responded to a series questions we sent him about the mistakes that compromised the investigation. We shared his response, medical records he provided and reports from the sheriff about Reer Sr.’s death with an expert who disagrees with Harwood’s conclusions.