DOVER TOWNSHIP, OH — A chilling cold case dating back to 1998 has been solved after investigators used modern DNA technology to identify a victim and link the crime to a family member, according to authorities.
The case began when children discovered a suitcase containing human remains along a road in Tuscarawas County. Days later, a second suitcase with additional body parts was found nearby. Despite collecting DNA and fingerprints at the time, investigators were unable to identify the victim or a suspect for decades.
The case was reopened in 2023 when Sheriff Orvis Campbell authorized new forensic testing using seized funds. DNA analysis led investigators to a living relative, 81-year-old Larry Drotleff of Euclid, Ohio. Authorities determined the remains belonged to his father, Lawrence Drotleff, who was approximately 93 years old at the time of his death.
According to investigators, Drotleff admitted in 2024 that he returned home to find his father dead and then dismembered the body using a hand saw before disposing of the remains in suitcases and bags.
He has been charged with stealing more than $246,000 in Social Security and pension benefits tied to his father’s death. Due to the statute of limitations, he cannot be charged with abuse of a corpse.
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