Richard J. Staats, 51, was shot inside an apartment on Tuscarawas Street West in Canton in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 19, 2026. Police responded about 4:30 a.m. after multiple 911 calls reporting gunshots; a caller said a man had been shot in the head. Officers found Staats between a bed and a wall with a critical gunshot wound to the head. First responders began lifesaving measures and he was taken to a local hospital.

Staats remained in critical condition for two days and was taken off life support on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 21, 2026, when he died. He was described by family as a beloved father, son, and grandfather and by his obituary as a skilled drywaller with a vibrant spirit and an unmatched sense of humor.

Detectives collected evidence and interviewed witnesses in the days after the shooting. On Friday, May 1, 2026, police named 33-year-old Ashaad D. Carlisle of Canton as the suspect and reported arrest warrants charging him with aggravated murder and discharging a firearm near prohibited premises; Carlisle was said to be at large and police asked the public for help locating him.

Did anyone in Canton see or hear anything that night on Tuscarawas Street West that could help investigators?