Body ID’d as man who answered Craigslist ad

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A body found in a shallow grave in northeast Ohio was identified Saturday as that of a missing man whose father said answered a Craigslist ad similar to one police say was used in a deadly robbery scheme.

The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as Timothy Kern, 47, of Massillon. It said Kern died of gunshot wounds to the head.

Kern’s father, Jack Kern, said previously that his son answered an ad for a farmhand similar to the phony ad that authorities say led to the shooting death of Norfolk, Va., resident David Pauley, 51. Pauley’s body was found in a shallow grave in Noble County.

Meanwhile, authorities say a second body was found in Noble County on Friday hours after Kern’s body was found near the Rolling Acres shopping mall in Akron in Summit County.

A South Carolina man also reported answering the Craigslist ad that police say lured Pauley to his death but the man managed to escape after being shot Nov. 6.