No to Ned

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio —  Local investigators are looking into any possible connection between an Oregon man killed by an escort in West Virginia and local missing women and homicide cases.

Chillicothe police Public Information Officer Bud Lytle said they are still checking whether Neal Falls, 45, might have visited Chillicothe or had any connection to the area.

“As it stands right now, we have nothing that ties him to anything here in Chillicothe,” Lytle said.

However, they aren’t ruling him out yet, and a team is planning to go to Charleston, W.Va., in the “near future,” Ross County sheriff’s Chief Deputy T.J. Hollis said.

Falls was shot and killed in Charleston, about two hours from Chillicothe, on July 18 while attempting to choke an escort he’d met through Backpage, a Web-based classifieds advertiser, according to Charleston police.

After finding several axes, a shovel, bleach, handcuffs, knives, a machete and other items in Falls’ vehicle, investigators began pursuing any potential connections with similar cases across the country. Because of Chillicothe’s proximity, investigators believe there could be a connection with the disappearances of Charlotte Trego, 27, or Wanda Lemons, 37, or the deaths of Tiffany Sayre, 26, Tameka Lynch, 30, or Shasta Himelrick, 20.

On Friday, a Ross County grand jury indicted a local man, Jason McCrary, 37, in the May shooting death of 38-year-old Timberly Claytor. A motive for her death remains unknown, and investigators have not found any evidence so far that links him to any of the other cases.

According to the Huffington Post, Charleston police also have connected with Las Vegas police regarding at least four cases there involving missing or murdered prostitutes.

While Falls most recently was known to live in Springfield, Ore., he has had family connections to several states, including Nevada, Iowa, Washington, Kansas, New Mexico, California and Oklahoma.