Howard Smith, 49, of Newton Falls, Ohio, was found shot in the head in his apartment in the early morning hours of December 31, 2016. He was taken to a hospital and later died of his injuries. The Trumbull County coroner’s autopsy returned a ruling of accidental death, but investigators have not closed the matter.

Police reports identify a woman named Tammy Szesze as having been in the apartment when the shooting occurred; she told officers Smith was showing her a gun he believed was not loaded when it discharged. The Newton Falls Police Department and the Trumbull County Homicide Task Force continued to investigate, and the police chief said he planned to consult the prosecutor to address unresolved details.

The coroner ruled the death accidental, yet the presence of another person and outstanding questions have left the case open. Did anyone in Newton Falls hear about Smith, his routines, or who else might have information about that night?