Abraxas runaway found dead, an apparent homicide victim in Columbus

On Mar 9, 2022

Abraxas is dealing with COVID-19 cases among its residents and staff, a company official said Thursday.

A 14-year-old boy who ran away from the Abraxas youth treatment facility last month in Shelby was found dead Saturday in Columbus, an apparent homicide victim, according to a Richland County Sheriff’s Office report.

The sheriff’s office received a call Monday from Detective J.B. Brandt of the Columbus Police Department Homicide Unit regarding the death of Brylan Butcher, who was reported as a runaway from Abraxas last month.

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Butcher previously was in foster care in Mansfield, according to his address listed on numerous sheriff’s reports.

According to the sheriff’s report, the detective said that “while following up on a homicide in their city (Columbus), it was determined that the victim was the runaway listed in this case (Richland County Sheriff’s Office from Feb. 20).”

Brylan Butcher was removed from database listing him as a runaway

Richland County deputies sent a report on Butcher to Columbus Police Department and Butcher was removed from the computer database listing him as a runaway, according to the report the News Journal obtained Tuesday.

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In a 911 call Saturday to the Columbus Police Department, a female said she had found a dead body in an alley between Eureka and Terrance avenues.

“… He’s definitely dead,” the caller said in the 911 call, provided to the News Journal by The Columbus Dispatch.

The Columbus Police Department offense report initially listed the deceased as a John Doe, victim of a murder, according to the report.

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The initial report of Abraxas runaways involving Butcher was received by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office at 9:04 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 20.

Another teen ran away but was located by Abraxas staff

According to a Richland County Sheriff’s Office report, Abraxas staff told deputies that Butcher ran away from the facility at 2775 Ohio 39 and headed toward Ontario.

Another teen, a 15-year-old boy from Painesville, ran away from the facility that night but was was located by staff.

Deputies put out a BOLO or Be on the Lookout for Butcher and the teen was entered into the computer database as missing, the report said.

On Feb. 20, the date Butcher fled Abraxas, a vehicle was believed to have been stolen from nearby Milliron Auto Recycling Business, 2175 Stiving Road. A Milliron employee on Feb. 22 confirmed that a vehicle was missing.

On Feb. 24, Richland County deputies learned that the stolen vehicle had been recovered by the Mansfield Police Department, according to a sheriff’s report.

The Ross County Sheriff’s Office contacted RCSO to relay information that Butcher’s aunt had contacted them and said her nephew had posted photos of himself with a handgun on social media.

Deputies also learned that Butcher had an active warrant through the Ross County Sheriff’s Office.

Butcher ran away from Abraxas frequently in recent months

According to Richland County sheriff’s reports, Butcher had been a frequent runaway from the facility in recent months.

The News Journal has reported on a number of runaway teens from Abraxas in the last two years including reports of runaways stealing neighbors’ vehicles, a trash truck from Rumpke, and leading law enforcement officers on pursuits in stolen vehicles.