Is sheriff under investigation?

NORWALK — Are state law enforcement investigating the Huron County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Todd Corbin's handling of the Amanda Dean murder case? An attorney for slain Huron County mother Amanda Dean's family, who is filing suit against the sheriff, said yes. Corbin's attorney said they aren't aware of any investigation. And the state office conducting the supposed investigation refused to confirm or deny the claim. Dean went missing in 2017 and hasn't been found since. Presumed deceased, Fred Reer, 43, was charged with her death. In January, Reer was sentenced to 14 years in prison after he had entered a guilty plea the month prior on charges including involuntary manslaughter, evidence tampering and corpse abuse. While the criminal case has ended, the civil lawsuit, in which the Dean family alleges Corbin and the sheriff's office failed to properly investigate Dean's disappearance, remains ongoing. It's in this case that the allegation of an investigation of Corbin and his department came to light. Lawyers in dispute over records The potential investigation came to light in recently filed documents in the case. A dispute over withheld records has surfaced in the lawsuit with attorneys asking a judge to intervene as they seek key documents tied to the case. In a March 25 joint status report filed in federal U.S. District Court, attorneys for both sides said records requested from the Ohio Attorney General's Office have not been fully released. Some materials were withheld under state law governing confidential law enforcement investigatory records, according to the filing. Attorneys for the plaintiffs said representatives from the state attorney general's office indicated the records could not be released due to an ongoing investigation involving Corbin and the Huron County Sheriff's Office, according to court records. Defense attorneys said they are unaware of any such investigation. The filing also outlines a separate dispute involving records sought from a local domestic violence shelter. Attorneys said a subpoena was issued for documents they believe are relevant to the case, but the shelter has opposed the request due to alleged confidentiality concerns. Corbin previously stated he got a phone call from a domestic violence shelter confirming Dean was safe. It's not clear if the subpoenaed records are related to that call. As of the filing, the records had not been provided to the court. Corbin, in a telephone interview, said he wanted to clarify certain aspects of the case but, on the advice of counsel, declined to comment due to pending litigation. "I can't really say anything while the case is ongoing," Corbin said. Calls to the Ohio Attorney General's Office seeking comment on whether an investigation is pending were not returned as of press time. Background of the suit The records disputes form part of a broader federal lawsuit filed by members of Amanda Dean's family, alleging the sheriff's office failed to properly investigate her disappearance in 2017. According to the complaint, Dean's family reported her missing in July 2017 after losing contact with her. Court filings state deputies responded and received information suggesting she may have been in danger, including prior reports of domestic violence and a tip indicating she may have been killed. The lawsuit alleges the investigation was quickly closed after authorities said Dean had been located and was safe. Family members were later told by the sheriff she was staying in a domestic violence shelter and would contact them when she was ready, according to the complaint. The family contends those statements were false and that no meaningful investigation was conducted for more than five years. The lawsuit claims that the delay allowed the person later charged in her death to remain free during that time. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation took over the case in 2022. Reer was indicted in 2024 in connection with Dean's death and subsequently pleaded guilty in December to involuntary manslaughter, two counts of tampering with evidence, and gross abuse of a corpse and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The lawsuit names Corbin and several deputies as defendants and seeks damages for alleged violations of constitutional rights and emotional distress. The case was filed in Huron County Common Pleas Court in December 2024 and later moved to federal court. According to court filings, both sides are now asking the judge to issue subpoenas to obtain records from the attorney general's office and the domestic violence shelter, which they say are relevant to the case. Attorneys also proposed a timeline that would extend discovery through the end of 2026, with the case potentially continuing into 2027. The case remains pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.