PORTSMOUTH – Portsmouth police have identified the body of a man believed to be linked with a recent murder in Scioto County.

Thursday, July 26, 2001

PORTSMOUTH – Portsmouth police have identified the body of a man believed to be linked with a recent murder in Scioto County.

Police found the body of Darren Hurst, 25, of Sciotoville, Saturday in a wooded area near his Kiff Street home. Hurst, according to a source inside the Portsmouth Police Department, was found hanging from a tree. Investigators said the death appears to be a suicide and may have occurred several days ago.

Hurst is believed to be a suspect in the murder of Richard Thornton, 40, of Portsmouth, who was found dead one week ago in the same vicinity were Hurst apparently killed himself. Thornton’s body was located in the same wooded area near Kiff Street in Sciotoville and police believe he may have been killed several days prior to the discovery of his body. Sources said injuries sustained by Thornton has lead investigators to believe he was beaten to death.

Investigators are still not sure of how the two men were linked, but Hurst was wanted by the police for questioning regarding the case.