How legs found in Trotwood led to Kettering charges
Chief says police are looking for others who may be involved in case.
Two weeks after a Kettering man’s legs were found in a tarp in Trotwood, his son is being held on $1 million bond for tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse charges.
While the case remains under investigation, Ket- tering and Trotwood police have served multiple search warrants, and crews have responded in Dayton and Fairborn, in addition to Trot- wood and Kettering.
As of Monday afternoon, Edgar S. Keiter Jr., 52, of Dayton, is the only person charged after his father’s legs were found in Trotwood. Ket- tering police Chief Christo- pher “Chip” Protsman said he expects more charges to be filed, and investigators are still looking for others they believe are involved in the case.
Here’s a timeline of how the case has unfolded.
April 22
T r o t w o o d police responded to the 7500 block of Old Dayton Road just before 1 p.m. after a man texted Montgomery
County Regional Dispatch about human remains found at the end of his driveway.
Officers arrived at the resi- dence and met with the man. They found a white tarp that smelled like “a deceased human with flies surround- ing the bag,” according to a Trotwood police incident report. One of the officers opened the tarp and con- firmed there were human legs with no blood.
Investigators were able to identify the legs as belonging to 75-year-old Edgar Keiter Sr., of Kettering, using a serial number from a knee replace- ment surgery, Protsman said.
April 26
Kettering police responded to Keiter Sr.’s apartment in the 4500 block of Crofts- hire Drive to assist Trot- wood police with a search of the unit. Appliances and carpet were missing from the apartment, according to Protsman. A Kettering police report indicated it appeared bleach was poured on the floor.
Neighbors told investiga- tors Keiter Jr. cleaned out the apartment the previous week and was seen driving his father’s vehicle, accord- ing to Kettering Municipal Court records.
April 27
Kettering officers returned to the Croftshire apartment for a criminal damaging com- plaint. The landlord wanted to pursue charges for appliances and carpet that were stolen from the apartment.
The landlord noted the refrigerator, stove and air conditioner unit were taken in addition to the carpet, according to court records.
April 30
A BOLO, or “be on the lookout,” alert was issued for Keiter Jr.’s pickup truck. Two felony counts of theft were filed against Keiter Jr. in Kettering Municipal Court for the items stolen from the Croftshire apartment.
May 1
Keiter Jr.’s truck was found by Fairborn police. Two peo- ple were inside, but neither were Keiter Jr., Protsman said. One of the occupants was arrested for an unre- lated warrant.
Keiter Jr. was arrested at his residence in the 100 block of Ernst Avenue in Dayton.
Investigators also searched a storage unit in the 1700 block of Guenther Road in Trotwood. The rest of Keiter Sr.’s remains were found in the storage unit in bags that matched the tarp the legs were found in, according to court records.
The person renting the storage unit reportedly told investigators Keiter Jr. asked them to reserve it in their name.
Police found items stolen from the Croftshire apartment in a garage in the 2300 block of Eastview Avenue, which was behind Keiter Jr.’s residence, Protsman said.
May 3
Keiter Jr. was charged with three counts of tampering with evidence and one count of gross abuse of a corpse in Kettering Municipal Court in relation to his father’s remains. Protsman said Monday Keiter Jr. could face additional charges.
May 6
Keiter Jr. was arraigned via video in municipal court. Judge Frederick Dressel continued the $1 million bond placed on Keiter after he was charged the previous week.
A preliminary hearing was set for today, but the case was expected to go before a grand jury Thursday.