Remains Identified As New York Man

Investigators in Marshall County have identified the remains of a man discovered in a wooded area of the county last week.

According to Sheriff John Gruzinskas, the body has been identified as that of 21-year-old Leonard "Leo" Lanci of Nassau County, N.Y.

Lanci's remains were found in a remote location off of Roberts Ridge Road at about 7 p.m. Tuesday. A caller on Lindsey Lane reported her son found the body while walking home. Investigators found a wallet with an identification card on the body, Gruzinskas said, and a positive identification was made Friday by a medical examiner in Morgantown.

A cause of death has not yet been determined, but the medical examiner believes the area where Lanci's body was found is where he died and that his body had been in that area for about two months.

While an investigation is ongoing, Gruzinskas said officers have learned from Lanci's family that he planned on taking a train trip from New York to Boston in late November with some friends. Those friends told investigators Lanci never made it to Grand Central Station. Gruzinskas said Lanci's parents reported him missing on Dec. 1 after he called them from Cambridge, Ohio. During that call, he told his parents he wanted to come home, authorities said. His parents never heard from him again.

Gruzinskas said now that the identity of the body is known, detectives are working to fill in the gaps in the case. He said Lanci's family members have no idea why he came to the Ohio Valley.

"No one really knows how he got to Cambridge," Gruzinskas said. "We have more questions than we have answers at this point."

Ross Lockhart, the chief investigator on the case, said family members have stated that, to the best of their knowledge, Lanci had never before been to the Ohio Valley. He said they also claim they have no reason to believe he would have harmed himself.

Lockhart said investigators have heard from a possible "witness," who claims he talked to Lanci in person in New York in February. The sheriff said officers still are investigating that claim.

Chief Deputy Kevin Cecil said flyers with Lanci's photograph will be posted all over the Ohio Valley in hopes that someone can provide information as to why Lanci was in the local area.

"One of the hopes is that we will put this photograph out, and we will enlist some assistance from the public," Cecil said.

Anyone with information regarding Leonard Lanci should call the Marshall County Sheriff's Department at 304-843-1500 or the tip line at 304-843-5422. Callers can remain anonymous.