The body of a missing 24-year-old Ohio woman was found by sanitation workers Wednesday as police believe her allegedly violent, boyfriend murdered her, authorities said.
The remains of Raychel Sheridan, of Plain Township, were discovered by Canton employees in the southwest area of the city around 9:30 a.m., Stark County Sheriff George Maier told reporters at a press conference later the same day.
“This is unimaginable. She could have been so much more than this,” Jennifer Yarnell, Sheridan’s friend, neighbor and coworker told WOIO.
Sheridan was reported missing by her mother on Tuesday and deputies went to her apartment for a welfare check. When officers arrived, the front door was open and nobody was inside, but police determined the scene seemed “suspicious” and obtained a search warrant, Maier said.
While waiting for the search warrant, deputies spotted a vehicle, a maroon Jeep Liberty, that belonged to the missing woman driving in the area.
They conducted a traffic stop and identified the driver as Sheridan’s live-in boyfriend, 26-year-old Sean Goe — who fled the car on foot and ran into a thick wooded area.
Deputies pursued Goe with K9s but lost him, Maier said.
After obtaining the warrant to search the couple’s home, “evidence of foul play was discovered and detectives determined that Sheridan was murdered inside of the apartment,” the sheriff said.
Sheridan’s cause of death has not yet been determined. The investigation is ongoing.
Goe was arrested in the early morning Wednesday at a Canton homeless shelter on active warrants for burglary, grand theft of a firearm and multiple misdemeanor domestic violence charges involving Sheridan.
He is currently being held at the Stark County Jail on $1 million bond, police said.
“I can’t believe she is gone. I can’t believe I am going to walk out to this parking lot and not see that red Jeep out here anymore,” Yarnell told the local outlet.
Yarnell said she witnessed Sheridan and Goe’s violent relationship first-hand.
“I told her more than once that this is not where she needed to be and that she needed to get away,” says Yarnell.
Goe allegedly stole a handgun from a North Canton residence in April and in May, physically threatened Sheridan and cut holes in her tires, according to court documents obtained by WOIO.
“I walked out of our door and her tires were slashed. I said, ‘What happened to your tires?’ and she said, ‘Sean happened to my tires,’” Yarnell said.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or text START to 88788.
