MANSFIELD — The remains of a body found April 8 in an attic crawl space on West Third Street have been identified as a Mansfield man last seen by his family in July 2022.
Bob Ball, the chief investigator for the Richland County Coroner’s Office, said Wednesday afternoon that the body was Billy Bays III, who was 46 when his family reported him missing.
Ball said dental records were used to identify Bays. He also said a cause of death will likely not be determined, due to the condition of the remains.
Mansfield police responded April 8 at 5:18 p.m. to a vacant house at 270 1/2 W. Third St. after the remains were found by a crew working to install electrical wire.
Ball said local officials were assisted by representatives of Mercyhurst University, a school based in Erie, Pa., forensic anthropology team.
Ball said local authorities have worked with Mercyhurst several times in the past, including the successful identification of an Ashland woman whose body was found in November in a wooded area of North Lake Park in Mansfield.
“We’re trying to get in there to get it (the remains) removed intact if we can. That’s why Mercyhurst was called in to do that portion of it,” Ball said on April 9.
The Mansfield News Journal reported in 2022 that Bays had not shown up for work at Domino’s Pizza on Lexington Avenue.
He had no cell phone on him, and his wallet was found at a place he was staying. At the time of his disappearance, Bays was staying at 266 1/2 W. Third St., the newspaper reported.