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Hamilton Marine found dead in North Carolina

Cpl. Joshua Hartzell, 22, of Hamilton, is pictured at the Marine Ball on Nov. 1.

This undated photo provided by the USMC public affairs office at Camp Lejeune shows Marine Pvt. Jonathan Law, 21, who's in military custody according to Marine officials pending an investigation of the death of Cpl. Joshua E. Hartzell, 22, who was found dead early Friday in woods on the Marine base in Jacksonville, N.C. Cpl. Hartzell is a Hamilton, Ohio, native. (AP Photo/U.S. Marine Public Affairs Office Camp Lejeune)

AP This undated photo provided by the USMC public affairs office at Camp Lejeune shows Marine Pvt. Jonathan Law, 21, who's in military custody according to Marine officials pending an investigation of the death of Cpl. Joshua E. Hartzell, 22, who was found dead early Friday in woods on the Marine base in Jacksonville, N.C. Cpl. Hartzell is a Hamilton, Ohio, native. (AP Photo/U.S. Marine Public Affairs Office Camp Lejeune)

ENLARGE PHOTO

Rebecca Lumpkin, left, and Sara Robbe, sisters of Cpl. Joshua Hartzell, hug outside the family home in Ross Twp. Monday Nov. 9, 2009. Cpl. Joshua Hartzell, 22, a 2006 graduate of Ross High School, was found dead at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina Friday, Nov. 6, a victim of an apparent homicide.

Staff photo by Nick Daggy Rebecca Lumpkin, left, and Sara Robbe, sisters of Cpl. Joshua Hartzell, hug outside the family home in Ross Twp. Monday Nov. 9, 2009. Cpl. Joshua Hartzell, 22, a 2006 graduate of Ross High School, was found dead at Camp LeJeune in North Carolina Friday, Nov. 6, a victim of an apparent homicide.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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This undated photo provided by the USMC public affairs office at Camp Lejeune shows Marine Cpl. Joshua E. Hartzell, 22, who was found dead early Friday in woods on the Marine base in Jacksonville, N.C. Marine officials say Pvt. Jonathan Law, 21, is in military custody. Cpl. Hartzell is a Hamilton, Ohio, native. (AP Photo/U.S. Marine Public Affairs Office Camp Lejeune)

AP This undated photo provided by the USMC public affairs office at Camp Lejeune shows Marine Cpl. Joshua E. Hartzell, 22, who was found dead early Friday in woods on the Marine base in Jacksonville, N.C. Marine officials say Pvt. Jonathan Law, 21, is in military custody. Cpl. Hartzell is a Hamilton, Ohio, native. (AP Photo/U.S. Marine Public Affairs Office Camp Lejeune)

By Michelle Everhart 9:11 AM Monday, November 9, 2009

A Marine from Hamilton — a 2006 graduate of Ross High School — was found dead in North Carolina Friday, Nov. 6, a victim of an apparent homicide.

Authorities there say a fellow solider is the suspect.

Cpl. Joshua Hartzell, 22, is dead and Private Jonathan Law, 21, of Nevada, is being held in his death with formal charges pending the outcome of the investigation, according to Marine Corps officials.

Hartzell’s body was found in a wooded area at Camp LeJeune at about 1 a.m. Friday.

Military investigators have released little information about Hartzell’s slaying. Autopsy results showed that Hartzell died of blows to the head, the Associated Press reported on Tuesday.

Hartzell is the son of Jeannean Dickhaus of Ross Twp. and Edward A. Hartzel of South Lebanon in Warren County.

Rebecca Lumpkin, Hartzell’s sister who lives in Hamilton, said Monday that the family has not been told much about her brother’s death.

Hartzell’s slaying came a day after a mass murder of soldiers in Fort Hood, Texas, allegedly by a colleague who opened fire on that base.

“Our thoughts and prays go out to those families too,” Lumpkin said. “But we don’t want Joshua to be forgotten. He was attacked too.”

Lumpkin said her brother was an avid fisherman and enjoyed hunting. While at Ross High School, he also was a member of the wrestling team.

“He loved what he was doing. He loved being a Marine,” Lumpkin said.

Family gathered at the Dickhaus home Monday remembering their bother, son and brother-in-law. Lumpkin and her sister, Sara Robbe, stood with their husbands, brother Matthew Hartzell, step-brother Kyle Dickhaus and step-father, Kirk Dickhaus, near a flag pole in the front yard where the Amercian and Marine Corps flag flew.

“It was his graduation present to himself,” Lumpkin said, referencing the pole. “He bought it with his own money, dug the pole and put it up himself.”

Matthew Hartzell, who said he was inspired to join the military by his brother, said he will be adding an Army flag to the pole. Matthew Hartzell is on leave from the Army due to his brother’s death.

The family said their focus is only on keeping Joshua’s memory alive through stories, a Web site and perhaps in the future, a scholarship in his name.

“My brother was taken from us, but we can’t just let that be it,” Robbe said. She spent Sunday night creating a Facebook page highlighting Joshua’s short but meaningful life. “He was proud, strong and honorable. That is the way we are going to continue his memory.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2168 or lpack@coxohio.com.

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