A six-day search for a missing Kenton man ended in heartbreak early Thursday morning when investigators found his body in a rural stretch of Hardin County. Seth Rigdon, 32, had been reported missing by a family member after not being seen for several days, and his death has already led to two arrests.
Rigdon was reported missing on October 23, according to peakofohio.com, which reported that detectives with the Kenton Police Department and the Hardin County Sheriff's Office began investigating and eventually followed leads to Marion. That trail led to the arrests of Antonio Lennelle Smith of Columbus and James Eugene Roton Jr. of Marion, both taken into custody in connection with the case, as NBC4 WCMH-TV reported.
Body Found Off County Road 230
The investigation continued into the early morning hours of October 29, when detectives were led to a rural area in the 21000 block of County Road 230 in Hardin County, east of Mt. Victory, where Rigdon's body was located. The station's report notes that rescue teams had been searching that same area. The Hardin County Sheriff's Office secured the scene, and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called in to assist, per the same account from peakofohio.com.
The Hardin County Prosecutor's Office, the Hardin County Engineer's Office, and the Hardin County Coroner's Office also assisted with the investigation, according to peakofohio.com. Both suspects are being held at the Marion Multi-County Jail pending charges, the outlet reported.
Investigation Remains Active
Authorities have not released additional details, saying the investigation remains active, per peakofohio.com's report. Court documents listing possible charges against Smith and Roton had not been made available as of Thursday, and Kenton authorities had not released further information at this time, according to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
