Lauretta Beltz-Frazee, a 68-year-old resident of Howard, Ohio, died on June 5, 2025, after sustaining a fatal gunshot wound. Deputies responded in the predawn hours to an open 911 call at a Busenburg Road residence and encountered Beltz-Frazee, who said she had been injured by a man identified as Lloyd J. Ray. A confrontation escalated into an exchange of gunfire, and deputies reported that Ray released an unknown chemical, prompting a tactical withdrawal and a prolonged standoff that ended about 5:30 a.m.

When officers later entered the home they found both Beltz-Frazee and Ray dead; two other occupants were removed safely. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation attended post-mortem examinations and a projectile was recovered from Beltz-Frazee’s body during autopsy. Death certificates for both decedents were issued in mid-July and investigators processed the residence as the inquiry continued. No arrests have been announced and the only person identified as injuring Beltz-Frazee was Lloyd J. Ray.

If anybody knew Lauretta, her routines, or observed activity at the Busenburg Road home around June 5, information could help clarify what happened that night.