60-plus weapons seized from home of Kirkersville shooter

Authorities recovered more than 60 guns at the Utica home of Thomas Hartless after he fatally shot three people, including his former girlfriend and a new police chief at a Kirkersville nursing home Friday.

The home on Oakland Avenue belongs to Hartless’s father, but he stayed there off-and-on.

Law enforcement searched the home Friday just hours after Hartless killed Kirkersville Police Chief Steven Eric DiSario, nurse Marlina Medrano and nurse's aide Cindy Krantz before killing himself. Hartless used both a shotgun and a handgun in the attack.

During the search, authorities seized a laptop, an envelope containing live ammunition, a gun case with one magazine inside an 64 firearms.

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The firearms included shotguns, rifles, pistols, revolvers, air rifles and pellet guns.

The search warrant affidavit does not indicate who the firearms belonged to.

Hartless had a previous felony conviction for abducting a former girlfriend in 2008. Those convicted of felony offenses of violence are barred in Ohio from purchasing, owning or carrying firearms.

Medrano had obtained several civil protection orders against Hartless in connection with domestic violence cases, including one that was signed just one week before her death. That order barred Hartless from possession of a firearm and ordered him to turn over all firearms to law enforcement.

It’s unclear if he surrendered any weapons after that order was made May 5.

Hartless was freed in April after his latest domestic violence case. A judge acknowledges "mistakes were made" and says he will review how similar cases are handled.

Funerals are scheduled Friday for Medrano and Saturday for DiSario. A memorial service is planned Wednesday for Krantz.

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