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When 911 operators in Lithonia, Ohio, received a call about Delbert Schaffer’s death, they immediately dispatched first responders to the scene. While initially thought to be a natural death, the case took a shocking turn when the coroner’s office suspected a crime was involved. ‘Evil Lives Here: I’ll Always Fear Him’, the investigation uncovers, documents the horrific murders and shows how the investigation can get closer to the victim than expected. Let’s take a closer look at this case and find out where Delbert’s killer is currently, shall we?
Delbert Shaffer lived in Litonia, Ohio, with his then-wife Deborah Williamson. He was a law enforcement officer and met Deborah while on duty in the court clerk’s office. While Delbert has two sons and a daughter, Deborah soon adopted her stepson, and Delbert looks forward to a happy family life. Delbert is described as a charming and approachable man who likes to help when needed. Delbert was respected in his community and is still missed today.
On January 14, 2018, one of Delbert’s sons, David Shaffer, called for help after realizing his father was unresponsive. David claims he found Delbert unconscious at their Litonia home and later found him dead. Police didn’t give much thought to the cause of death at first, but things took a turn when the body was taken to the county coroner’s office for further examination.
On January 17, just three days after the murder, the coroner’s office contacted law enforcement and mentioned that Delbert’s death was suspicious. A detailed autopsy further revealed that the victim was bludgeoned to the head, torso and limbs, resulting in his death. After it turned out to be a murder, the police began a hunt for the killer.
Who killed Delbert Shaffer?
When David Shaffer notified police of his father’s death, he immediately became an interesting figure in the investigation. The show also revealed how his brother and then stepmother Deborah confirmed David’s violent behaviour and outbursts. On the show, Deborah talked about how hurting people made David happy from an early age. Neither discipline nor scolding helped, and over time David became more and more cruel.
Additionally, through their investigation, police discovered that David was on probation after being convicted of unrelated theft in 2010. When police went to speak to the suspect, they found Delbert’s entire gun collection was missing from the home. Although Davey insisted they had been handed over, police obtained a search warrant and found that most of the guns were owned by the suspect and were hidden in a secret room. Also, the family was suspicious when David claimed he was the sole executor of Delbert’s will.
Further investigation later led police to believe that David attacked Delbert on January 14, 2018. However, instead of immediately seeking help, he let his father die while erasing all evidence concerning him. Therefore, with sufficient evidence and multiple testimony, the authorities decided to arrest David on charges of forgery of evidence, possession of a weapon while disabled, and murder.
Where is David Shaffer now?
Although David Shaffer initially maintained his innocence, he pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, tampering with evidence and possessing a weapon while disabled after his trial. He was then sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2021 for manslaughter and two years for each of the other charges. As such, David remains in custody at Belmont Correctional Facility in Belmont County, Ohio, and is eligible for parole in 2033.
