Ashland County Council on Aging food delivery driver finds murder suspect Stanley Gardner dead

ASHLAND – A man accused of killing his son two years ago and whose criminal trial is scheduled to begin next month was found dead in his home Monday, authorities confirmed.

According to Ashland County Sheriff's Deputy Dave Blake, 73-year-old Stanley Gardner was found late Monday morning “sitting in a chair and motionless.”

Blake said Gardner's death, which was reported via 911 call at 11:31 a.m., did not appear suspicious.

“It just looks like he was sitting on a chair,” he said. “It appears to be of natural causes.”

Gardner was accused of shooting his son, Jason Gardner, on September 2, 2022. The shooting also reportedly occurred at Stanley Gardner's home in the 1200 block of County Road 1153.

According to court records, a trial on the aggravated murder charge was scheduled to begin Oct. 22 in Ashland County Common Pleas Court.

Neither of the attorneys involved in the case – Ashland County Prosecutor Chris Tunnell and defense attorney Don Wick – were immediately available for comment.

The Ashland County morgue was not contacted after the death, according to Beth Jackenheimer, an investigator with the office. The morgue is contacted only if the death is unnatural or unexpected, or if no primary care physician is available to respond to the death, she said.

In an incident report to the ACSO from one of the officers involved, it is stated that the Heyl Funeral Home “arrived at the scene of the accident and took possession of the body.”

“I think I just found a dead man”

A woman delivering food for the Ashland County Council on Aging found Gardner in a lawn chair. She told a 911 dispatcher she thought Gardner had been “gone for a while.”

“I think I just found a dead man,” the caller said. “He's sitting in his recliner and it looks like it could be (natural) because there's something like a glass on his chest and he's slumped over.”

Sandy Enderby, director of the Ashland County Council on Aging, confirmed that Gardner has been a client of the agency for years. He is one of nearly 400 people across the county who receive daily meals delivery, Enderby said.

Enderby said food delivery workers are instructed to knock on the door and wait for an invitation to come in. Sometimes the door is left unlocked, she said.

“But we have to see the person to bring them the food. Sometimes we are the only person they see,” she said.

Enderby said the woman – a part-time worker who was hired just two months ago – delivered a meal to Gardner on Friday and he was alive. But the delivery woman noticed that the previous day's food was sitting untouched on the counter.

So the woman contacted a member of the Gardner family. The agency planned to contact him and talk to him about the importance of a nutritious meal.

“Sometimes our clients forget to eat,” Enderby said. “That's why our service is so important. We check on them every day across the country.”

Question of competence

On August 14, Gardner stated that he was of sound mind and able to stand trial.

His lawyer also expressed his belief that his client was competent. Stimpert nevertheless ordered an evaluation of his capacity to conduct business and the judge set a hearing for September 30 to discuss it.

Gardner struggled with health problems over the summer, including a leg injury that left him in pain, according to Wick, who provided those details at hearings in July and August.