A 52-year-old woman whose last known address was on Mayfair Avenue in Cheviot died on September 9, and now investigators are asking the public for help finding anyone who knew her. The Hamilton County Coroner's Office says it is searching for relatives or friends of Melissa Johnson, who was identified as a Cincinnati woman, and has put out a public appeal for information.
According to WKRC, Johnson's last known address was on Mayfair Avenue in Cheviot, the compact West Side suburb where she died. Anyone with information about her relatives or friends is asked to contact Chief Investigator Maria Stewart at 513-946-8700, the outlet reports.
A Familiar Appeal for the Coroner's Office
A Familiar Appeal for the Coroner's Office The coroner's office has issued a public appeal seeking relatives or friends for Johnson. Information is directed to Chief Investigator Maria Stewart at 513-946-8700.
Public notices asking for help locating next of kin can serve as a way for the coroner's office to seek information.
What Ohio Law Requires
The public search is not optional under state law. Ohio Revised Code Section 313.14 legally mandates that county coroners make a diligent effort to ascertain the next of kin, other relatives, or friends of any deceased person who comes under the coroner's jurisdiction, according to Ohio law. If no one comes forward to collect a decedent's belongings, the same statute requires the coroner to take custody of cash and personal effects and, when the county paid the burial cost, sell valuable non-firearm personal effects at public auction within eighteen months after burial, with proceeds deposited into the county treasury.
Separately, the article does not detail the procedures that apply if a body remains unidentified.
Who Bears Responsibility if No Family Is Found
Who Bears Responsibility if No Family Is Found If no relatives or friends step forward, the article does not establish who would be responsible for final arrangements.
Municipalities facing that cost are not entirely on their own. The State of Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors restored the state's Indigent Burial and Cremation Support Program under House Bill 315 in February 2025, allowing local governments to apply for state funding reimbursement for unclaimed or indigent cremations and burials, according to the Ohio Funeral Directors Association.
Life on a West Side Street
Cheviot, where Johnson last lived, is a small, densely populated West Side suburb of Cincinnati with an estimated population of 8,660 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The source also reports a 54.2% homeownership rate.
The Hamilton County Coroner's Office is seeking relatives or friends in Johnson's case, according to Hamilton County. The provided information does not detail other recent West Side cases, including the linked Hoodline report.
For now, the cause and manner of Johnson's death have not been detailed, and it remains unclear how long she lived on Mayfair Avenue before she died. Anyone who knew Melissa Johnson or can help identify her relatives or friends is urged to call Chief Investigator Maria Stewart.
