Coroner: Middletown man died of gunshot wounds

UPDATE @ 2:15 p.m. Nov. 7:

A Middletown man found dead in his kitchen Friday morning died of gunshot wounds, according to the Butler County Coroner’s Office.

An autopsy was performed today on Joseph Romano. His death has officially been ruled a homicide by the coroner’s office. That ruling confirms what Middletown police told this news outlet over the weekend.

Romano, 47, was found dead about 8 a.m. at the house in the 1500 block of Lafayette Avenue.

INITIAL REPORT, Nov. 5:

On Saturday, crime-scene tape remained wrapped around the Lafayette Avenue house where a 47-year-old man was found dead in his kitchen a day earlier.

An autopsy was is not scheduled to be performed until Monday by the Butler County Coroner’s Office, but police say Joseph Romano suffered traumatic injuries.

“It’s a homicide,” said Lt. Jim Cunningham. He declined to give the details of injuries Romano suffered until after the autopsy. He had believed the autopsy would be performed Saturday, but coroner’s investigators were called to the scene of a fire on Jacoby Avenue where a person had been found dead.

Police and fire/rescue crews were called to the house 1500 block of Lafayette about 8 a.m. Friday on a report of a man bleeding and not breathing, according to a statement police released Friday afternoon.

They found Romano in the kitchen laying on his side. Two people, who Cunningham described as living in an apartment in the house, were also at the residence, according to the police report.

Cunningham said Saturday that detectives were actively investigating the homicide. Anyone with information is urged to contact Middletown police at 513-425-7700.