A father of two was found dead inside a trash compactor Feb. 4 outside an Ohio CVS after he failed to call his wife and she tracked his phone’s location, police said.
Andrew Strand, 34, had been doing contract work at the CVS, his wife told police, WOIO reported, citing Shaker Heights Police Commander John Cole. Police allegedly received a call from Strand’s wife shortly before 10:00 p.m. on Feb. 4 saying she was concerned because her husband hadn’t called her back.
The wife said she traced his phone’s location to the CVS he was working for as a contractor. Officers performed a search at the location and discovered Strand’s corpse inside a trash compactor at the property’s rear, police said.
Cole reacted to the incident, according to WOIO. “We extend our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased during this difficult time,” he said, noting that police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Strand’s death. (RELATED: Police Charge Family And Protective Services Employee With Child Trafficking)
CVS also issued a statement indicating they are cooperating with the investigation. “We’re cooperating with police as they investigate the death of a contractor outside our Chagrin Blvd store,” their statement read.
The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office is looking into Strand’s cause and manner of death, Cole said.
Strand was a mechanic who had recently started his own business and had been married to his wife, Jaymie, for seven years, according to the New York Post. The couple shared a son and a daughter, according to an apparent GoFundMe fundraiser.
“He was a loving, involved father; coaching his son’s hockey and baseball teams. He loved supporting his daughter in dance as well as gymnastics. His wife and children were the center of his life, and he loved them immensely,” a friend appeared to say of Strand via the same fundraiser, which has raised over $22,000 as of publication.
The Daily Caller contacted the Shaker Heights Police Department, who did not immediately comment on the incident.