Human remains found in fire pit 9 months after man vanished, Ohio officials say

Xavier Menefee was reported missing in 2024. His remains were found in Akron, officials say
Xavier Menefee was reported missing in 2024. His remains were found in Akron, officials say

Officials in Ohio are investigating after they say human remains were found in a fire pit.

Around 4:50 p.m. May 2, the Akron Police Department was called to a homeless encampment, according to a May 5 Facebook post by the Summit County Medical Examiner.

Officers were called for a report of two men fighting. As they spoke with the men, one of them mentioned the human remains, WOIO reported.

Nearby, officers found human remains in a fire pit, officials said. Akron police also found remains in a trash bag, WJW reported.

Officials used dental records to determine the remains belonged to 22-year-old Xavier Menefee, the medical examiner’s office said.

Menefee was reported missing out of Canton in August, according to WJW.

Anthony Fields, 54, and Kurth Conaway, 34, are charged with abuse of a corpse, according to court records. The two were arrested in connection with the remains found, WOIO reported.

Akron is about a 40-mile drive south from Cleveland.

Aaron Moody is a sports and general reporter for the News & Observer. Here is a second sentence for the bio because it will probably be longer than this. Maybe even longer I don't know. Support my work with a digital subscription