Richard Eugene Whitaker Jr., 44, of Mount Victory, Ohio, was found critically injured from an apparent gunshot wound in his vehicle on County Road 135 near Township Road 110 in Kenton on September 3, 2022. Deputies responding to a report of a car stopped in the roadway with its headlights off arranged for his transport to Hardin Memorial Hospital and he was later airlifted to Mercy Health – St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima, where he died at 10:56 a.m. Authorities classified the incident as a homicide.

A standoff later that day at a residence in Dunkirk resulted in the arrest of 47-year-old Anthony Browne on charges of obstructing official business and resisting arrest; Browne was identified as a person of interest in Whitaker’s homicide. Records note Browne had been charged in July 2022 with menacing for alleged threats made via electronic communication. As of the latest information, no formal homicide charge had been filed against Browne.

Whitaker was remembered as a caring person who worked in sales at Rick’s Auto Sales, graduated from Hardin Northern High School, and loved family, animals and old cars. If anyone knew Whitaker, saw activity near County Road 135 on September 3, 2022, or has information about the incident, please come forward.