Sheriff: Erie County murder suspect found dead in Vermilion

ERIE COUNTY -- The Erie County Sheriff's Office has discovered murder suspect David L. "Jody" Kromer dead in a cottage at the Firefly Beach & Resort Motel on state Route 6 in Vermilion.

Kromer, 56, of Sandusky, was found in dead in a closet in the cottage Wednesday afternoon.

Capt. Paul Sigsworth said the cause of death is pending an autopsy because it appears Kromer tried to hang himself, sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and there was also a strong odor of natural gas in the cottage when his body was discovered.

Kromer was a suspect in the death of Carla Westhofen, 58, who was apparently killed in her Huron Township condominium Friday and her body dumped in Erie County, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

Sigsworth said Kromer is believed to have killed Westhofen, put her body in her car, then driven her car to Pennsylvania. Afterwards, he drove to New York state.

Westhofen's car was found in Jamestown, New York, over the weekend, Sigsworth said.

He said Kromer was believed to have rented a black Taurus with New York license plates in Jamestown and driven back to the Vermilion area.

The Firefly owner said the man who checked in was driving a dark-colored car with New York plates and he was supposed to check out on Tuesday.

The owner had another nearby motel owner check the cottage when the man had not checked out by Wednesday morning.

The other motel owner went to the cottage and smelled a strong odor of natural gas and called the Vermilion Township Fire Department.

The VTFD arrived and made entry to shut off the gas and found Kromer.

Westhofen died from blunt-force trauma.