Jackson County OH- Remains identified as missing Oak Hill man:
JACKSON, OHIO— An Oak Hill family has been notified that their son, who was reported missing on his birthday last year, has been found.
“It’s not the homecoming they have hoped for,” said Jackson County Sheriff Tedd Frazier of the Saylor family. “We have notified the family of Benjamin Michael Saylor, that it was his remains that were found on Saturday, January 11. Jackson County Coroner Dr. Alice Frazier notified the Sheriff of the confirmation Monday afternoon. The confirmation came from dental records submitted to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. According to Sheriff Frazier. Attorney General Dave Yost’s office continues to assist in the investigation,” Frazier added.
The determination on Saylor’s identity, in part, was through dental records. “The principal basis of the dental identification lies in the fact that no two oral cavities are alike and the teeth are unique to an individual,” Jackson County Coroner Dr. Alice Frazier explained.
Investigators with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, along with investigators of Gallia County Sheriff Matt Champlin’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Jackson County Coroner Dr. Alice Frazier responded to a call on CH & D Road, near Jackson, investigating the discovery of human remains Sat., Jan. 11, 2020. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a call from an adult male stating that two kids discovered, what they believed, were human bones.
The remains were then sent to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office in Dayton, and then to the Ohio Bureau of Investigation (BCI) for dental and DNA analysis to discover the identity, collection of additional evidence and a cause of death. “We were notified of the findings late Monday afternoon, and then notified the family,” Sheriff Frazier said.
Saylor was last in contact with his family July 26 via text message. Three days later, on his 30th birthday, Saylor was reported missing or endangered. Saylor’s family had not heard from him since July 26.
“We are continuing to investigate how Michael ended up where he was discovered, the cause of death and if any individuals may have contributed to his death,” said Sheriff Frazier. “We have been investigating the disappearance of Michael since July 29, 2019 and have put in hundreds of hours searching for Michael and interviewing individuals who were associated with him,” Frazier said. “We want to give this family as many answers as we can on the loss of their loved one,” Frazier explained.
Due to the continuing investigation, no other information is being released at this time. “I understand that the family and the community want answers, but we will not release any further information until the investigation is complete,” Sheriff Frazier said.
Anyone with information in this case should contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office by calling 740-286-6464.
