Man killed; suspect arrested

More news from the Erie County Sheriff's OfficeVERMILION TOWNSHIP — A 58-year-old man who had worked for years at Huron's Ace Hardware store apparently was beaten to death.David Quint's body was discovered inside his home at 4805 Avenue A in Mitiwanga at about 1 a.m. Sunday. He had been severely beaten. Deputies charged a longtime family friend of the victim. Ian Carl Seckt, 22, was charged with murder after he was questioned and admitted killing Quint, according to the Erie County sheriff's office.Quint's boss, Ace Hardware store owner Tim Sowecke, said Quint was an excellent and well-liked store employee."What a tragedy for a good man like David to go out and meet his end the way he did," Sowecke said. "He'd been at the store working all day Saturday and did his usual good job."Quint was unmarried and lived alone and had no children, Sowecke said. He'd worked for Ace Hardware for at least five or six years.Seckt was arrested at his parents home in Huron — before Quint's body was found — on outstanding felony warrants for property crimes such as theft and receiving stolen property, Sheriff Paul Sigsworth said Sunday. Huron police officers had been dispatched to the home at 12:45 a.m. Sunday. Family members asked deputies to check on Quint's welfare after Seckt was arrested on the warrants, fearing Seckt might have harmed Quint.Investigators are trying to figure out why Seckt had been at Quint's home that night, Sigsworth said. They are also looking into the relationship between the two men."It seems like there is a family connection between Mr. Seckt's family and Mr. Quint," Sigsworth said. The prior arrest warrants for Seckt were related to crimes Quint had reported to police, including Seckt stealing checks and property from him. Deputies and state crime lab agents were still at Quint's home hours later Sunday morning securing the crime scene. Investigators were up most of the night and eventually were allowed to go home to rest. With the alleged perpetrator safely in jail, more information may not be released until Monday, Sigsworth said. Records at the Erie County Sheriff's Office show that Seckt was named as suspect in two different offense reports Quint filed earlier this year.On May 27, Quint told a deputy his bank had called him about a check allegedly written to Seckt. If the bank had cashed the check, Quint's bank account would have been overdrawn. Quint told the bank he did not write the check. Checks had been made out to three different men named as suspects, and some had been cashed.On Aug. 4, Quint reported the burglary of his home sometime during the afternoon or early evening, with three aluminum extension ladders and a Dewalt Miter Saw stolen. A witness told the sheriff's office she saw Seckt in the driveway during the afternoon. Seckt denied being there when questioned by a deputy.Quint also had reported a burglary on July 29, although the initial offense report did not name any suspects.Seckt also had a minor arrest record in Martin County, Florida. Seckt was arrested at 9:50 p.m. on Feb. 15, 2016, in Stuart, Florida, on a charge of prowling after hours in an auto body shop. An officer caught him looking inside a disabled car, according to an arrest affidavit posted in Martin County's court records site. The site was fenced in and had a "no trespassing" sign. Seckt told the officer he had been looking for a place to sleep. Seckt was charged with loitering or prowling, a misdemeanor, but court records show the charge was dropped. Seckt was being held in Erie County Jail Sunday afternoon on no bond, on charges of murder, forgery, theft, burglary and receiving stolen property. Sowecke said Quint was a good employee, friendly and loyal. "Was excellent with the customers, knew most of them by name," Sowecke said. "Most of them knew him by name."Off the clock, Quint enjoyed fishing — he was a member of a trout club — and fixing up his home, which he had built, and working on his friends' homes."David did a lot of home improvement work on the side for his neighbors and friends and over the years had developed a loyal following," Sowecke said. Check back here for updates. More news from the Erie County Sheriff's OfficeA 58-year-old man was found dead early Sunday morning inside his home at 4805 Avenue A in Mitiwanga. The suspect was arrested and charged with murder after admitting to killing the man. Investigators accessed the scene of the crime.A 58-year-old man was found dead early Sunday morning inside his home at 4805 Avenue A in Mitiwanga. The suspect was arrested and charged with murder after admitting to killing the man. Investigators accessed the scene of the crime.A 58-year-old man was found dead early Sunday morning inside his home at 4805 Avenue A in Mitiwanga. The suspect was arrested and charged with murder after admitting to killing the man. Investigators accessed the scene of the crime.A 58-year-old man was found dead early Sunday morning inside his home at 4805 Avenue A in Mitiwanga. The suspect was arrested and charged with murder after admitting to killing the man. Investigators accessed the scene of the crime.Ian Carl Seckt, 22, formerly of Huron, was arrested this morning and charged with homicide. Seckt