Double homicide under investigation

VW independent staff 

PAULDING — A Paulding County man has been charged with two counts of murder, after admitting to killing a woman and her husband and stealing their car.

In addition to the murder charges, Clay Dockery, 23, is charged with theft. He remains in custody in Ashtabula County, where he was arrested on Thursday after confessing to killing Celecitas Pelegrino Williams, 60, and Bruce B. Williams, 81. Co-workers of the woman were concerned because she hadn’t reported to work for two days, hadn’t called off and wasn’t answering her phone.

Deputies discovered the bodies of the victims in a barn on their property in the 6500 block of Road 123 in Latty Township. As the scene was being processed, a call was received from the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office indicating they had interaction with Dockery, who was in possession of a vehicle owned by Williams. 

The Paulding County Coroner’s Office, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Ashtabula County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office are assisting with the investigation.

Dockery will await court proceedings in Ashtabula County and will eventually be extradited back to Paulding County.  At that time, an arraignment date will be set in Paulding Municipal Court on the aforementioned charges.

There is no other information expected to be released at this time.