Here are the number of homicides in Stark County and Canton from 2022 and 2023

CANTON ‒ The number of people killed by another person in the city remained the same in 2023 as 2022.

There were 16 homicides each year, according to a Repository analysis of data from the Stark County Coroner's Office and Canton Police Department.

Elsewhere in Stark County, the number of homicides doubled from four in 2022 to eight in 2023.

Four of last year's violent deaths occurred in a single family, when Jason Dunham fatally shot his wife Melissa, 42, and their children Renee, 15, Amber, 12, and Evan, 9, before killing himself at their Lake Township home.

Canton Police Chief John Gabbard told City Council recently that although the number of homicides in Canton was unchanged from 2022 to 2023, some of last year's killings were determined to have resulted from self-defense, which boosted the numbers. No 2022 homicide was attributed to self-defense.

Self-defense caused three deaths

The people whose deaths were found to be the result of self-defense last year were:

Michael Harper Jr., 44, of Alliance, who was fatally stabbed by a man after walking into a Clarendon Avenue NW home on Jan. 8, 2023, grabbing a knife and trying to stab the male resident. The resident took the knife away from Harper and stabbed him, according to investigators.

Spencer R. Price II, 36, of Akron, was found in the 1100 block of Walnut Avenue NE with multiple stab wounds on March 17, 2023. Police said a woman at the scene had serious injuries to her face and head, and had several teeth knocked out. She said Price was her boyfriend and that he had assaulted her, then tried to attack the downstairs neighbor and was stabbed by the neighbor, police said.

Kody M. Ingram, 32, was fatally shot by his fiancee after pointing a gun at her and her three children in their Gobel Avenue NE home on July 17, 2023, according to police. She told a 911 operator that he threatened to kill them.

Self defense: Canton police investigating fatal stabbing in 1100 block of Walnut Avenue NE

Officer-involved fatal shootings in Canton

Canton police fatally shot two men in 2023 and one in 2022. Alliance police fatally shot one man in 2023. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is still looking into last year's cases involving the deaths of Zachary J. Fornash, Jeffrey J. Neff and George "Joe" Appleby.

Alliance police said officer Robert Toussant shot Appleby, 59, on Sept. 3 while he was holding a knife to the neck of his live-in girlfriend at the apartment on South Linden Avenue. He had already cut the neck of the 68-year-old woman.

Canton officer Garrett Marino fatally shot Fornash on the night of Dec. 5 after the 24-year-old repeatedly disregarded orders to get on the ground, put his hands on his head and show his hands. The officer had been flagged down by citizens on Alan Page Drive SE who said Fornash had shown a gun during an argument.

Fornash walked away and was shot as he turned back toward the officer, his hands still in his pockets.

The weapon Fornash had been carrying was subsequently found to be a pellet gun.

Marino returned to full duty on Jan. 13. The eight-year veteran of the department had been on administrative leave immediately after the incident.

Canton police officer Jacob Dryden fatally shot Neff, 41, on June 7 while responding to a reported domestic dispute at a home in the 300 block of 25th Street SW. The shooting occurred at the Interstate 77 entrance ramp.

According to police body camera video, Neff fired at least one shot at Dryden, who was grazed in the leg.

Officer Robert Huber shot James Williams, 46, at his home in the 2300 block of 10th Street SW in early on Jan. 1, 2022. At the time, Williams was firing a Ruger AR-556 rifle into the air to celebrate the new year. Huber shot at Williams through a 6-foot wooden fence.

A Stark County grand jury opted not to criminally charge Huber, who said he feared for his safety and others.

Most Canton homicides were the result of civilians killing other civilians.

The year 2021 saw homicides spike in Canton. It had the highest number since well before 1965, as far back as current records go. Canton killings numbered 21 in 2021, 15 in 2020, 12 in 2019, 11 in 2018 and 17 in 2017.

Most cases from the past two years have been solved. But not all. Canton, Massillon and Perry Township have a total of seven open cases from 2022 and 2023.

Self defense: Canton woman tells 911 dispatcher she shot her fiancé

Unsolved homicide cases in Canton from 2022, 2023

Open cases from Canton in 2023 involve the deaths of Stacey Armstead and Bryson O. Barksdale. Victims in unsolved cases from 2022 are Jacere Jones, Stanley Calhoun and Javontae A. Conner.

Jones, 15, was killed Feb. 19, 2022, at 23rd Street NE and Maple Avenue. Police reports say he was dropped off at a local hospital with a bullet wound just before someone called to report shots had been fired on 23rd Street.

Conner, 21, was found in the living room of a home in the 1600 block of Oakmont Street NW around 3:14 a.m Oct. 17, 2022. He had gunshot wounds to his torso.

Calhoun, 25, was found in a foyer at Victory Square Apartments at 1206 Lippert Road NE on May 8, 2022. He had been shot in the chest.

Armstead, 49, died Jan. 29, 2023. She was found with a gunshot wound to the back in the 2500 block of Fourth Street NW. Police said she had been shot with a small-caliber handgun.

Barksdale, 35, was found dead from a gunshot wound to the neck in the 1900 block of Otto Place NE on April 7, 2023.

Massillon has an unsolved case from 2023, involving the death of Nathaniel Laster II. He was shot on the front porch of his house on Fifth Street SW on June 20.

Unsolved cases from 2022 include the death of Perez Dave, who was found with a gunshot wound on the evening of Oct. 8 at Green Acres Townhouses, 3516 Lincoln Way E, in Perry Township. He later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital.

"This investigation is still currently ongoing and there has been a person of interest identified," Perry Township police Detective Danielle Paciorek said in an email statement. "However, in the uncharged person's right to privacy, we cannot release any details pertaining that."

Anyone with information on Dave's case may contact Detective John Locy at 330-478-3505.

What's happened in 2024 so far?

Stark County has two deaths that are being investigated as homicides this year. Both appear to be the result of domestic violence.

Lee R. Greenwalt, 47, has been charged with murder and other offenses in connection with the death of 48-year-old Leah Zweidinger of Akron, who was found dead at his home in the 3600 block of Briardale Drive NW in Perry Township on New Year's Day. He has been indicted on charges of murder, felonious assault, assault and resisting arrest. He has not yet been given the opportunity to enter a plea.

Christine Pleasant-Fite, 61, was found dead Jan. 21 in the home she shared on 31st Street NE in Plain Township with her husband Byron Fite, 62. The Stark County Sheriff's Department is investigating her death as a homicide. They believe her husband shot her before shooting himself. He died Jan. 24.

Intruder fatally stabbed: 'It was the only choice my husband had," woman tells 911 operator

Repository staff writer Kelli Weir contributed to this story.

Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com. On X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton homicide numbers stable from 2022 to 2023