Man pleads guilty in connection to death of woman found wrapped in plastic at Dayton home

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A Centerville man pleaded guilty to charges connected to the death of a woman found wrapped in plastic and duct tape in a Dayton home last October.

Daniel R. Mertz, 48, pleaded guilty to one count each of gross abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.

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His sentencing has not been scheduled at this time.

He is facing up to a total of four years in prison, but is also eligible for Community Control sanctions, according to court documents.

On Oct. 28, police found the body of 26-year-old Cora Rose Grubb inside a house in the 200 block of South Hedges Street.

She died from gunshot and stab wounds to the head and neck, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.

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Mertz admitted to “participating in moving the dead body...and help wrap her body in plastic and duct tape to be put in a plastic trash bag,” according to court documents.

Police identified Erik Michael Evans, 32, as a suspect in Grubb’s death.

The day after finding her body, police saw Evans in a vehicle at Shell paring lot at North Gettysburg Avenue and Free Pike.

As the officer approached him, Evans pulled out a gun and fired, prompting the officer to return fire, according to Dayton police.

Evans was shot and died during the incident.

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An autopsy revealed that Evans died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound and that none of the officer’s gunfire hit him.

A note was found on Evans that indicated he killed Grubbs and that he may have tried to kill a second person, Dayton police Lt. Jason Hall said.

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