MIDDLETOWN — A 2017 Preble Shawnee graduate has been identified as the deceased woman discovered in a barrel by Middletown and Butler County authorities on June 30.
According to a Middletown Division of Police press release, at 12:54 p.m on Tuesday, June 30, the MPD arrived at 3221 Yankee Rd. in Middletown to investigate a report “that there was a female inside a barrel at that address.”
”Upon arrival officers made contact with William Slaton age 35 of that address,” the release continued. “Officers advised him of the complaint and he went back into the house, out to the back yard and tossed a barrel over the fence. Officers checked the barrel to see if a person inside was in need or emergency medical attention and found the dead body of a female inside.”
Slaton was taken into custody and has been charged with gross abuse of a corpse, failure to report a crime or death, and tampering with evidence, according to reports.
A search warrant was executed at the house and evidence collected, the press release continued. “We are working with the Butler County Coroner’s Office and the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office. After the autopsy is complete and the case reviewed with the county prosecutor’s office additional charges may be filed,” MPD officials said. Anyone with information about this crime was asked contact MPD Det. Mynhier at 513-425-7720.
The Butler County Coroner’s Office identified the dead woman Tuesday, July 7, as 21-year-old Cecily Cornett of Somerville. She was a 2017 graduate of Preble Shawnee High School and played softball and participated in varsity cheer, according to an obituary.
According to reports, Slaton told detectives he woke up the morning Cornett died, after using narcotics, and went downstairs to “find the woman hanging in the basement.” Reports state “Slaton then cut off all of her fingers and used a razor knife to cut off all of her tattoos.”
The coroner’s office has reported Cornett died on June 30, but said “the cause and manner of her death is still being investigated.” An autopsy has been conducted.
