Mom calls out sheriff

NORWALK — The mother of a woman who died under harsh and mysterious circumstances six years ago wants Huron County Sheriff Todd Corbin to step aside and let the state crime lab investigate her daughter's death. Tricia Shepard, left, and Katelynn. Katelynn Shepard's remains were found inside her burned-out pickup on July 9, 2018, on a lonely stretch of road not too far from the home where she lived with a man much older than her who she first started seeing when she was a teenager. Her pickup somehow went off the road into a clearing amid small trees and brush, and burned up. It was hidden from view for hours before police were notified after a passing motorist saw smoldering smoke coming from the crash site. "We are unable to explain why the victim was traveling eastbound on County Road 187, we cannot explain what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway, (and) we cannot explain what caused the fire in the vehicle," a crash report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol states. There's never been any explanation from anyone for what caused the truck to go off the road, what caused the fire and about other circumstances involved in Katelynn's death. Same as before While the state released that crash report, Corbin has refused to release any reports related to Katelynn's death, including narratives explaining what witnesses said, what detectives concluded and other standard reports law enforcement agencies are required to file. In addition, no fire marshal's report has been provided. It's unknown if the records exist. Corbin claims it's an open investigation and therefore he cannot release the records. That is not a requirement, however, under any state law. Tricia Shepard, Katelynn's mother, says the sheriff and deputies have mistreated her and her family the same way they mistreated Amanda Dean's family. Dean, a Collins mother of three, was missing for years before a man whom she was in a relationship with was charged with her death by state authorities in 2023 after an apparent lack of an investigation by Corbin's office. Pictured is the pickup truck involved in Katelynn Shepard's death. Provided photo "I am writing to you with deep concern with how the Huron County Sheriff's Office has failed to properly and fully investigate the death of my daughter, Katelynn Shepard on July 9, 2018," Tricia Shepard wrote Sitterly Thursday morning. "He completely failed to investigate the murder of Amanda Dean, for which there was ample evidence," she told the prosecutor. "Sheriff Todd Corbin provided no plausible explanation as to why her case was egregiously mishandled. Corbin and detectives made that family needlessly suffer nearly six years based upon a lie about Amanda Dean still being alive." Amanda Dean's body was located nearly six years after her family initially told Corbin that her boyfriend likely killed her and buried her on a family property where they were living at the time. Corbin never searched the property or talked with the boyfriend, refusing to investigate her disappearance for all that time. The state agreed to investigate Amanda Dean's disappearance after the Register began reporting about Corbin's refusal to help the family. Fred Reer, 40, was arrested and charged with murdering Amanda Dean 13 months later, after state agents searched the property Corbin refused to search for all those years and interviewed witnesses Corbin and his detectives never talked with. "Given that, clear dereliction that occurred in that case and the unprofessionalism me and my family have been shown by Huron County sheriff's office, we have zero confidence of them providing justice for my daughter," Tricia Shepard wrote to Sitterly. There are striking similarities in how Corbin and his detectives handled the missing persons case for Amanda Dean and the mysterious death investigation into what caused the fiery crash that killed Katelynn Shepard, including alleged mistreatment of family members, questions about whether evidence was lost or destroyed and why there's been no update provided to the family or the community about the investigation's status. Like Amanda Dean's family, the Shepard family is convinced that Katelynn's boyfriend, who they say was abusive toward her and that she was trying to break off her relationship with him, intentionally caused her death and staged the crash scene. The man, like Fred Reer, had a history of domestic violence, and, like Reer, moved out of state after Katelynn was killed. There's no record been provided showing that the sheriff ever talked with Fred Reer after Reer was tagged as a suspect in Amanda Dean's disappearance in 2017, and there's no record Corbin or his detectives ever talked with Katelynn's estranged boyfriend in 2018, after he was identified as a suspect. Wait for it State law requires a local law enforcement agency to request assistance from the Ohio Attorney General's office and the crime lab before the state can begin its own investigation. Corbin asked the state to take over the Dean investigation after he felt mounting pressure from the community after the Register began reporting about the Dean family's frustrations with the sheriff. Katelynn Shepard was a corrections officer with the Erie County sheriff's office in 2018 when she was killed. Tricia Shepard's request to prosecutor Sitterly concludes with a request that he take immediate action. "With all the similarities, lack of proactive investigation and ample information that demands a thorough review by a competent investigative agency, I am asking that your office request the state's Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Ohio Attorney General to assign agents and a special prosecutor to conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation," she wrote. "My family and I need closure, and my daughter deserves justice, we have waited over six long years. I appreciate your quick action to my request." Sitterly did not respond to a written inquiry and telephone messages left for him on Thursday, asking if he planned to respond to Tricia Shepard's request. Corbin also did not respond to questions.