Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman, in conjunction with Marshall County Coroner Bill Cleavenger, announced Tuesday that forensic pathologist Dr. Thomas J. Sozio has confirmed that the body upon which he conducted an autopsy on Monday, November 7, 2016, is indeed that of Richard Paul Costello. Sozio was able to make his determination by comparing known x-ray records of Costello from 2012 with x-rays of the remains autopsied on Monday.
Sozio also concluded that the cause of R. Paul Costello’s death was blunt force trauma to the head. The manner of death has been ruled a homicide.
Chipman added that Mr. Costello’s date of birth was November 7, 1937, making him 78 years old at the time of his death. The precise date of death is still unknown and the subject of a continuing investigation.
