Man convicted in WY manslaughter now suspect in OH kidnapping, rape

Massilon, OH (WOIO) — Police believe they have found a man accused of abducting and raping a 9-year-old Ohio girl Monday.

Dennis Leroy Menefee, Jr., 46, of Port Washington, was arrested Wednesday by Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office southeast of Columbus.

Massillon police issued warrants for his arrest Tuesday.

Menefee is facing charges of rape, kidnapping, assault and aggravated menacing.

Menefee has a lengthy criminal record.

He was accused of raping Cindy Lee Dixon and throwing her out into the cold in a 1999 case in Wyoming, according to the Casper Star Tribune.

Dixon froze to death and Menefee later pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He was sentenced to 4-7 years in prison.

Dixon was the mother of Russell Henderson, the man convicted of killing Matthew Shepard. Shepard was the University of Wyoming student who was beaten, tortured and left to die.

Menefee came to Ohio after leaving Wyoming. He also has a history from Tuscarawas County:

Robbery-1994
Grand theft-1990
Cultivation of marijuana-2011
Several civil cases

Police said Menefee is connected to the Sept. 26 incident where the 9-year-old was walking home from the library and was abducted near St. Paul’s Church.

She was lured to the vehicle by the suspect telling her that he was a police officer and she was reported missing.

The girl was forced into the vehicle and transported a short distance to a parking lot. She was sexually assaulted, beaten and threatened prior to being released from the pick-up truck.

The girl walked home and reported the incident to her family and the police were immediately notified.

Investigators identified a vehicle from a local business’ surveillance video based upon the description received from the victim. The suspect’s identity and his vehicle were confirmed by the victim.