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Carbon monoxide suspected in death of couple found in boat at Lake Erie marina

A Stoutsville couple were found deceased by a neighbor on their boat, which was docked at Bay Point Marina near Marblehead.

MARBLEHEAD - A Stoutsville couple died Sunday on their boat at a local marina and investigators suspect carbon monoxide poisoning played a part in their deaths.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources spokesman Eric Heis said John D. Seyfang II, 49, and Joellynn “Jodi” L. Johnston Seyfang, 54, both of Stoutsville, were found deceased by a neighbor on Sunday around 8:45 a.m. on their boat, which was docked at Bay Point Marina near Marblehead.

Diana Valone, a friend of the Seyfangs, said she's known the couple for about 10 years and was getting ready to take a trip to Maine with them in September.

"They loved life, just loved life. My friend (John) said he always thought he would die young, but he would live life to its fullest," Valone said.

"They were very fun people. They were always friendly to everyone," Valone said. "They were very kind. They share everything and anything. They would have parties at their house and cookouts."

Heis said the cause of death will be determined by the coroner, but carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected as a possible cause.

A dog also was found deceased on the boat, Heis said.

The couple's bodies were transported to the Lucas County Coroner’s office.

In a 911 call, a witness said the boat’s generator had been left on. The witness said he tried to call the couple the night before and by the following morning decided to go into the boat and shut off the generator for them.

The witness told a sheriff’s office dispatcher that he then found the couple, both on the floor inside the boat.

Another neighbor also called 911 and said the area smelled like “gas fumes.”

There were no updates available regarding the investigation as of Tuesday afternoon, according to ODNR.

The couple owned multiple businesses, including a real estate investment firm, Frontgate Properties, LLC, based in Stoutsville, and an electrical services company, Seyfang Electrical, based in Circleville, according to registration records.

Stoutsville is in Fairfield County, about 30 miles southeast of Columbus.

The Seyfangs' deaths followed another tragedy last week at the same marina.

On June 27, James Fisher, 80, drowned at Bay Point Marina, where he had gone to clean his boat.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a preventable risk that the U.S. Coast Guard recommends every boater should be aware of.

According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, over 800 boating-related poisonings across 35 states have resulted in more than 140 deaths since 2000.

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas present in engine exhaust.

If a boater can smell the exhaust, carbon monoxide is being inhaled, however, the gas may also be accumulating in and around boats even when there is no smell if there is no sufficient ventilation.

Carbon monoxide can accumulate to dangerous levels from both a boat’s engine and generator due to several possible factors, such as blocked exhaust outlets, another vessel nearby, idling and back drafting, in addition to inadequate ventilation.

The U.S. Coast Guard encourages all boaters to know where the exhaust outlets are on their vessel and to keep everyone away from those areas, as well as always maintaining fresh air circulation at all times, even when the engine or generator is off.

They also advise to run exhaust blowers whenever the generator is operating and that boaters should install and maintain carbon monoxide detecting alarms.

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include headache, nausea and dizziness, which can be mistaken for seasickness, so the Coast Guard also recommends treating such symptoms as possible CO poisoning, getting the person into fresh air immediately and seeking medical attention.

Additional recommendations and safety tips from the U.S. Coast Guard can be found at its website, uscgboating.org, or the USCG Boating Safety App.

Reporters Daniel Carson of The News-Messenger in Fremont and Michaela Sumner of the Chillicothe Gazette contributed to this article.

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