Tuck

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  • #1
General Information

Date of Discovery - 02/01/1998

Location of Discovery - Tuscarawas County, Ohio

Estimated Date of Death - 1998

State of Remains - Not recognizable - Decomposing/putrefaction

Cause of Death - Homicide

Physical Description

Estimated Age - 68 - 72 (Earlier News Coverage Stated 60 - 70)

Race - White / Caucasian

Gender - Male

Height - 5'8 - 5'11, Estimated

Weight - 145 - 160 Pounds, Estimated

Hair Color - Unknown

Eye Color - Unknown or Missing

Distinguishing Marks / Features - The man had emphysema, was extremely thin, and may have previously had a hernia operation.

Clothing and Personal Items

Clothing - N/A

Jewelry - N/A

Additional Personal Items - Hard-sided suitcase with a luggage tag from Cobb County, Georgia (grey in colour), and a second suitcase (green in colour).

Circumstances of Discovery

A group of teenagers hiking in a wooded area near Dover Township discovered the partial remains of the man in plastic bags near a grey suitcase two miles northeast of Interstate 77 in the Winkler Hill area; the plastic bags contained the lower half of a body missing the left leg and the lower half of the right leg. The upper torso of the man was later discovered by a motorist in plastic bags next to a green suitcase adjacent to County Road 48 near Stone Creek; the head and arms were missing, and have not been located.

The first suitcase was traced to Cobb County in Georgia; the man who had previously owned it had donated it to a charity store after the latch broke whilst he was travelling through Northeastern Ohio. A witness at the charity store reportedly remembered seeing the man who bought the suitcase; his description and a composite sketch are attached below.

Authorities have stated that since the body was found in close proximity to Interstate 77, it was possible that the man was from another state. Despite extensive inquiries and investigations into a possible connection to another body found in New Mexico, the man has not been identified.

 

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  • #2
Identified as Lawrence A. Drotleff born August 6, 1904. He was about 93 years old at the time of discovery.

April 24, 2026

Investigators later identified Larry J. Drotleff, 81, of Euclid, as the son of the victim. According to the sheriff’s office, additional findings revealed he had previously collected retirement and Social Security benefits belonging to his deceased father by falsely claiming he had moved away.

In a January 2024 interview with investigators, Larry Drotleff told police, "he was residing with his father and had left for work one day. When he came home, located his father deceased. Larry indicated that he then cut up his father’s body with a manual hand saw (not a power saw) and disposed of some body parts in the suitcases and others by just putting them in bags in a dumpster near his work place."

 
  • #3
Ergh, these people.
 
  • #4
Ergh, these people.
Agreed. I mean chopping up poor ol' dad. You've either gotta REALLY want the money or REALLY dislike your father...maybe both.
 
  • #5
Investigators later identified Larry J. Drotleff, 81, of Euclid, as the son of the victim.

According to the sheriff’s office, additional findings revealed he had previously collected retirement and Social Security benefits belonging to his deceased father by falsely claiming he had moved away.
In a January 2024 interview with investigators, Larry Drotleff told police, "he was residing with his father and had left for work one day. When he came home, located his father deceased. Larry indicated that he then cut up his father’s body with a manual hand saw (not a power saw) and disposed of some body parts in the suitcases and others by just putting them in bags in a dumpster near his work place."
 
  • #6
Apr 24, 2026
The Tuscarawas County Sheriff's Office is closing the door on a cold case that has troubled the Dover Township community for decades.
 
  • #7
So eerily similar to this case. What is wrong with some people?
 

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  • #8

Othram's writeup

Of note: While Larry Drotleff will not face charges for the abuse of his father’s remains due to statute of limitations, he has been charged federally with two counts of stealing more than $250,000 of his father’s Social Security and pension benefits.

That's a huge amount of money. How long was he claiming the benefits for? Was he still claiming at the time of his father's identification? Lawrence would be about 121 if he were still alive today. Is there no system to pick up on suspiciously old people still claiming SS/pension benefits? Apologies if the above wkyc article answered these questions, for some reason clicking that article just redirects to Youtube.
 
  • #9

Othram's writeup

Of note: While Larry Drotleff will not face charges for the abuse of his father’s remains due to statute of limitations, he has been charged federally with two counts of stealing more than $250,000 of his father’s Social Security and pension benefits.

That's a huge amount of money. How long was he claiming the benefits for? Was he still claiming at the time of his father's identification? Lawrence would be about 121 if he were still alive today. Is there no system to pick up on suspiciously old people still claiming SS/pension benefits? Apologies if the above wkyc article answered these questions, for some reason clicking that article just redirects to Youtube.

The Social Security people started investigating the son several years ago (unsure of exact date), and he admitted to them in an interview that he was stealing the pension money (but claimed to not know where his father was). They just didn't do anything about it.

Cleveland.com has the most comprehensive article on this case so far: This is why authorities say a Euclid man dismembered his father and kept it hidden for 28 years
 

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