The official cause of death of an Ashland man found dead in December in Mansfield has been ruled a suicide by the Richland County Coroner.

The badly decomposed body of Timothy Whitcomb, 26, was found by a neighbor on Dec. 19 between two fences near the former Pizza Hut restaurant and McCune's Cycle World. 
 

Whitcomb had been missing since Sept. 26.  He was last seen walking on Sixth Avenue according to family members.
 

Richland County Coroner Dr. Stewart Ryckman made the ruling following the release of the autopsy report by the Summit County Medical Examiner.