Toledo Family Waits for Answers After Man’s Body Is Recovered From the Maumee River

Toledo fire crews recovered the body of David Edward Skiles from the Maumee River on Thursday, and his relatives — who identified him after the recovery — say they still do not know how the 49-year-old ended up in the water. Fire and police officials in Toledo said the investigation continues and a cause of death has not been determined.

Skiles’ sister, Tabitha Ilsley, said he often walked near that part of the river. She saw him on Saturday night, when he asked her to go to a casino and she declined. Early Sunday morning, Skiles called their mother from someone else’s phone — something Ilsley said he did every night — and the family never heard from him again.

“He’s the one I grew up with, out of all of them. He’s the only one that I knew. He’s all that I knew,” Ilsley said. Their father, Charles Skiles, has now lost a second son in three years. The family is raising money through a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs and hopes to place a small memorial close to where he was found.

Death investigations involving a river recovery can take time in any city, Little Rock included: responders document the recovery site, detectives look for witnesses and evidence, and a medical examiner’s ruling on cause and manner of death can take weeks. Toledo officials say that work is still under way.

Source: Body of David Edward Skiles found in Maumee River in Toledo — Glass City Ledger (glasscityledger.com)