Fleming’s family reported him missing Thursday to Union City police. The same day, a person reached out to the Greenville Police Department with information regarding Fleming, and the department also opened an investigation.
The joint investigation led officers to rural parts of Darke County, according to the sheriff’s office.
Investigators from the sheriff’s office and Greenville police on Saturday afternoon found a shallow grave while searching a commercial poultry operation at a farm in Brown Twp., according to a press release. The grave was exhumed, and Fleming’s body was discovered, Whittaker said.
“This is commercial farm, and we don’t believe the owners or the corporation that owns the farm has anything to do or is part of this,” Whittaker said. “It’s just unfortunate circumstances that it ended up there.”
Fleming’s death is being investigated as a homicide.
The Darke County Coroner’s Office sent Fleming’s remains to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office for a forensic examination to determine his manner of death, Whittaker said.
The sheriff declined to comment of Fleming’s cause of death. It’s not clear whether Fleming died at the farm or if his body was brought there.
A warrant has been issued for two people in connection to the investigation. Dean Baker, 35, of Greenville, is wanted for a tampering with evidence charge and 37-year-old Ashlee Fletcher, also of Greenville, is wanted for a charge of having weapons under disability. Whittaker identified them as suspects and said they are wanted for questioning.
Greenville officers found a handgun and ammunition Saturday while searching Fletcher’s home, according to a Darke County Common Municipal Court affidavit. The gun and ammunition were in a plastic tote with other personal items believed to belong to Fletcher.
Baker’s tampering with evidence charge is in connection to an incident that took place on or around Aug. 7, according court documents.
Baker and Fletcher were known to Fleming, but Whittaker declined to share additional details.
Baker and Fletcher are believed to be together and out of the state, Whittaker said. Investigators received information Baker and Fletcher were seen by law enforcement outside Ohio prior to the warrants being issued, the sheriff said.
“They are believed to be armed and dangerous at this point,” he said.
A “be on the look out,” or BOLO, has been issued in multiple states between Ohio and Florida for the pair.
Anyone who spots either one or both of the suspects should call 911. Anyone with any information on the case is urged to call the Darke County Sheriff’s Office at 937-548-2020 or the Greenville Police Department at 937-548-1103.
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