Mansfield police seek public help with first homicide case of 2022

MANSFIELD — Mansfield police on Monday asked the public for information about the city’s first homicide of 2022, a 38-year-old woman found with stab wounds inside her Rowland Avenue apartment.

Police said Deanna Hoam was dead inside 183 Rowland Ave., Apt. 2, when they arrived on Sunday at 6:11 p.m., according to an emailed press release Monday afternoon.

Authorities were summoned by the victim’s father, a Mount Gilead resident who went to the apartment when he could not contact his daughter on the phone.

The father told police the apartment, just north of West Fourth Street, was locked when he arrived, but said he had a key because he rented the apartment for her. He said he found his daughter dead and called 911.

Police, Mansfield fire and the Richland County Coroner’s Office were at the scene Sunday evening.

“During the death investigation, it was found the victim had what appeared to be several stab wounds to her body,” police Chief Keith Porch said.

Mansfield detectives executed a search warrant at the residence and collected evidence, which was not detailed in the press release.

“The victim’s car, a 2007 red Ford Fusion, was missing from her residence and was later located parked on Blanche Street,” Porch said. 

“The vehicle was seized and will be searched for possible evidence that may be related to the the crime,” the chief said.

An autopsy will be done, according to the coroner’s office.

Porch asked that anyone with information about the crime to call major crimes Det. Larry Schacherer at 419-755-9766.