David Barber, a 63-year-old Caucasian male, was the former sheriff of Knox County, Ohio. He served as sheriff for 20 years before retiring at the end of his term in 2013. On April 3, 2017, Barber was found dead at his home near Mount Vernon, Ohio, from a single gunshot wound. The Knox County Sheriff's Office confirmed that his death appeared to be a result of suicide, as a suicide note was found at the scene.
Barber's death was treated with the same sensitivity and attention as any other coroner’s case in Knox County.
Barber's death did not involve any arrests, suspects, litigations, murder, law cases, or investigations related to foul play. The Knox County sheriff’s office released a statement expressing condolences to his family and confirming that no foul play was suspected. A forensic autopsy was scheduled to confirm the cause of death.
Barber was well-respected in his community and had a long career in law enforcement. He was involved in a high-profile triple-homicide investigation in 2010, which led to the conviction of Matthew J. Hoffman for the brutal murders of Tina Hermann, Kody Maynard, and Stephanie Sprang. Despite the toll this case took on him, Barber continued to work tirelessly until it was resolved.
In April 2009, Barber faced charges of dereliction of duty for illegally borrowing money from the Knox County Law Enforcement Trust Fund and spending it on his re-election campaign. He apologized for the incident and was fined $500 along with court costs.
Barber's death was a significant loss to the Knox County community, and his contributions to law enforcement were remembered fondly by those who knew him.
