By Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Howard

MIDDLETOWN - The police and fire departments and the coroner's office combined efforts to figure out how a 45-year-old landlord ended up dead in a tenant's yard Monday.

Police gathered evidence, a firefighter maneuvered into a crawl space, and investigators took a section of wiring and copper pipe to the Butler County morgue for examination.

The evidence showed that Terry A. Howard caused his own death while installing an outdoor spigot, said Andy Willis, investigator for the Butler County Coroner's Office.

"He was hitting the pipe with a hammer, kneeling on the damp ground, and electrocuted himself," Willis said. The current that struck Howard came from an exposed wire touching the pipe and was probably carrying about 110 volts, Willis said.

Coroner Dr. Richard P. Burkhardt on Wednesday signed a death certificate certifying that Howard died from an accidental electrocution.

Howard died while working on his property at 21 Glenmore St.

His tenant, Lyle Lewis, found him lying in the yard around 3 p.m. Monday, a police report says.

At first, investigators were puzzled, Willis said. But, he said, investigators were able to piece together what occurred.

Howard was a married father of two and a graduate of Middletown High School and Miami University. Survivors include his wife, Melissa, of Middletown; a daughter, Denise, and a son, Cody, both of West Chester Township.

Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Wilson-Schramm-Spaulding Funeral Home, 3805 Roosevelt Blvd. A memorial service will follow.

E-mail jmorse@enquirer.com