SEAMAN, Ohio — Investigators made another shocking discovery Friday afternoon in a deadly crime spree that left at least three people dead and one wounded at four crime scenes in Adams and Pike counties.
Late in the day, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation disclosed that human remains were discovered in the burned-out house of the suspect in a double-shooting and attempted abduction at the Marathon gas station in Seaman Friday morning.
Officials identified the suspect as 44-year-old Brandon Carter, of Seaman. Carter fatally shot a delivery truck driver, wounded a female store clerk and shot himself to death after a police chase into Pike County, officials said.
WCPO reported that Carter's mother lived with her son in the house on Old State Route 32. BCI said the house fire had been set intentionally and the remains have not been identified.
The crime spree started when Carter tried to abduct a female clerk from the gas station and fatally shot the delivery truck driver in the process, officials said. The gunman shot the clerk when she tried to run away, BCI said. She was reported in stable condition at a Cincinnati-area hospital.
Carter then led authorities on a pursuit and shot himself to death in Pike County, BCI said.
Eddie Geeslin and Ernie Butts said they were drinking coffee at the Marathon station when the incident unfolded. Geeslin said he saw the gunman enter the gas station through the back door. The gunman then dragged the clerk outside and tried to get her into his truck, according to Geeslin.
The clerk broke free and tried to run away, Geeslin said.
"She was hollering and screaming," Geeslin said. "I opened the door I was getting ready to leave. I heard a gunshot, He shot her in the back."
The victims shot at the gas station have not been identified.
A call for a reported robbery came through at about 7:29 a.m. Friday at the Marathon near the intersection of State Route 32 and OH-247, Adams County Sheriff Kimmy Rogers said.
According to BCI, Carter drove off and robbed 1st Stop Gas Station in Seaman. A Highway Patrol trooper and a Sheriff's deputy spotted his vehicle and gave chase. Carter eventually crashed his car in Pike County and shot himself as deputies closed in, according to Lt. Craig Cvetan of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
BCI is investigating the crime scenes at both gas stations and Carter's home, the Highway Patrol is investigating the pursuit, crash and suicide, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the arson and human remains, according to BCI.
Officers tried to pull over a 1999 green Dodge Dakota at about 7:47 a.m. on State Route 73 at Portsmouth Road because they had information the driver was involved in a shooting in Seaman, according to Cvetan.
Carter didn’t stop, and a pursuit ensued. He led authorities westbound on State Route 73 to State Route 32 before turning eastbound onto State Route 32, Cvetan said. The pursuit continued eastbound on State Route 32 into Pike County.
Authorities deployed stop sticks to stop the suspect in Beaver Township, Cvetan said. Carter swerved left, crossed the median and westbound lanes and came to a stop along the road. When authorities approached the car, they saw he had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Cvetan said.
