A Marysville man wanted in connection with the discovery of his wife's body in their home was found dead in an Ohio motel room Sunday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.

Marysville police had charged Kenneth R. West, 47, with abuse of a corpse. Marysville Deputy Police Chief Tony Brooks said West was found dead in another jurisdiction.

West was found in a motel room in Ohio, said Lance Emberling, an investigator for the Union County coroner's office.

It all started for Marysville police when they were called Saturday to the 1300 block of Milstone Drive in the city's southwestern corner for a well-being check on Diana West, 68. Relatives had become concerned after receiving unusual text messages from her phone. Diana West's daughter, who lives in southwestern Ohio, told police she had not spoken with her mother in several weeks, and when she talked to Kenneth West, her stepfather, he was evasive.

Police found Diana West's body hidden in the home; they have not specified where.

Diana West's body was taken to the Montgomery County coroner's office, Emberling said. He would not give more details on a suspected cause of death.

Marysville police had issued an alert Saturday, noting that Kenneth West was considered to be armed and dangerous because a handgun was missing from the home. Police were anticipating adding charges to abuse of a corpse once the autopsy was completed. Diana West had ongoing health issues, Brooks said.

jwoods@dispatch.com

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