Facebook Marcus Dilly, Harley Dilly's dad, with Harley's mom, Heather Dilly
Marcus Dilly is the garbage truck driver father of Harley Dilly, the 14-year-old Port Clinton, Ohio boy and YouTuber who was missing since he left for school on December 20, 2019. However, tragically, on January 14, 2020, police revealed that they found Harley’s body stuck in a chimney of a vacant home near his residence.
That development came after a massive law enforcement search at a vacant home located in view of Harley’s family home. Throughout the weeks of searching, Harley’s mother in particular has been public about her anguish. The police chief then horrifically revealed that Harley died after being trapped in a chimney in that vacant home. He believes it was a terrible accident.
Chief Robert Hickman said, “We were then able to discover what we believe to be Harley, who was caught in the chimney. His family was notified early this morning, and this appears to be an accident. At this time, there does not appear to be any foul play expected.”
Ashlyn Dilly, Harley’s sister, earlier confirmed the sad news, writing on Facebook, “R.I.H. Harley Dilly and fly high, confirmed by the PD both out there and here in my town ???????.”
According to an alert sent out by the Ohio Attorney General’s office and obtained by Heavy.com, “The Statewide Endangered Child Advisory has been cancelled and the child has been recovered.” The Attorney General’s office provided this information:
Ohio AG
Here’s what you need to know about Marcus Dilly and Harley’s family:
1. Harley’s Dad Is a Garbage Truck Driver Who Filled His Facebook Page With Photos of His Family
Marcus and Heather Dilly
Harley’s parents are named Heather and Marcus Dilly. Harley’s mom’s profile picture shows a candle and the hashtag, #comehomeharleydilly. Heather Dilly wrote that she is married to Marcus Dilly. She describes herself as “Daughter, Wife, Mom, Aunt and Mimi…To some a sister, never by blood but always by heart ?” A woman who knows them tried to clear up rumors on Facebook, writing, “Marcus Dilly is Harley’s real father not step father that is a fact i grew up with Marcus and Heather.”
Marcus Dilly’s Facebook page says he is a truck driver at Republic Trash Services who is from Cleveland. He started his job in 2014, according to his Facebook page. In 2015, he wrote, “Any of my face book friends have a truck and need to make a little money and is close to port Clinton.” He shared a photo of a monster truck and wrote, “Had a grate (sic) time last night.”
FacebookMarcus Dilly
On Facebook, he posted photos with his children and selfies with his wife. Some photos showed the family at Myrtle Beach. A collage of photos showed Marcus with his garbage truck. In 2015, he shared a photo of an amusement park and wrote, “Took the family hope you guys have fun at work.” He also indicated that he and his wife were grandparents. In another post, he wrote that he caught Harley and other children playing Legends of Wrestling. He shared a post indicating people should support the General Lee car from the Dukes of Hazzard.
Police Chief Rob Hickman previously told ABC13 that his officers were called to the Dilly home in the past but he wouldn’t say why. He also said the boy “does not warm up to people” quickly.
In the past, when there was a conflict in the residence, Harley would leave for the night. That wasn’t rare, the chief said in a press conference.
“We’ve had a couple calls there. Harley was upset over an incident that happened at home. We were involved,” the chief said, without elaborating. He said that happened a month ago.
2. Marcus Dilly Called Harley’s Mother a Great Person Who ‘Takes Care of Everything’; Harley’s Mom Has Been More Visible on Television
Marcus Dilly
In 2015, Marcus Dilly wrote, “My wife is such a great person. She takes care of everything and everyone and I come home to a clean home and good meal. She deserves hugs kisses and flowers more often. I love you Heather Styndl Dilly.”
Harley’s mom has appeared frequently on television. “We are still waiting to have Christmas with you,” Heather Dilly said. “We want you to come home, we want you to be safe. Your family misses you,” she said on January 11, 2020, according to Cleveland19.
According to the Sandusky Register, Harley’s mom posted a no longer visible video to Facebook, saying, “You all want to see what I look like when I’m not taking my meds to help? You want to know what it’s like to have a son missing? It hurts. It makes you feel like you can’t go on. But you have to go on. You don’t understand. You seriously don’t know what it feels like.”
Heather Dilly told Cleveland ABC station WEWS. “I mean, somebody had to have seen something. You see everything on TV, you watch all these crime shows and you think, ‘oh, that’s never going to happen.’ And they solve it in an hour. It doesn’t take an hour to find out everything. I love you Harley, please come home. Please, I just … We need you, I don’t believe that you ran, but if you did just please, this isn’t you.”
She added: “The scrutiny that comes with it, nobody tells you how you’re going to be bashed and your family. And the biggest focus is Harley. That’s the biggest thing. You know, everybody can think whatever they want and that’s fine. But he’s out there somewhere, and you know, it’s two weeks and I have to get up every day and look in that room and he’s not there. I have to see his light. I won’t even go sleep in my own bed. I have to go lay on the couch so I can make sure he walks in.”
Asked when she last saw her son, Heather told the TV station, “I didn’t see him, I talked to him,” without explaining further. She said her husband drives around at 2 a.m. looking for the boy.
In 2015, on a separate Facebook page, Heather Dilly wrote, “Due to a back stabbing birch (sic) of a friend…I have come to realize I need to keep my family close…not you fake f*cks. With that being said I will be deleting this face book and starting a new one where all these pics of the last 5 yrs will get deleted… this life as I know it is over and time to focus on my husband, son, furgirl, and myself.”
She wrote that same year, “I am so done with my heart getting broke…I care no more, I want to be left alone…Pain is to real to feel…I’m the problem, so what so you do with a problem you find a solution…Okay…I won’t fight no more.” Heather wrote on Facebook that she met Marcus in 1993.”
In 2015, she also wrote, “Okay. Won’t go into detail but Harley is bored and we’ll boys who are bored get into trouble…” And that same year: “Omg omg omg big surprise for Harley Dilly for his bday…Let’s just say…life is getting much busier…and I love it ❤”
Harley had a Facebook page, but it doesn’t have much on it. A drawing, a picture of a dog, and not much more. He did share the number 01 fashioned out of a Confederate flag and a picture of a video game like scene with the word “crime” drawn on it, but those are old posts.
3. Authorities Found Harley in a Vacant Home Across the Street From the Home Where Marcus & Heather Dilly Live With Their Family; Authorities Previously Described Them as ‘Distraught’
FacebookMarcus Dilly’s Facebook profile picture.
Early on in the case, police described Harley’s parents as “cooperative” and “distraught” in a news conference. They said there was no sign of a struggle in the Dilly family home. They also said that they didn’t think the family was involved and asked people to stop sharing rumors. Now, they confirm: It was an accident with no foul play involved.
The police chief explained in a news conference why it took so long to find Harley in the abandoned home. “We had no reason to believe anyone was in the house.” That’s because it was dead-bolted and locked. However, on January 13, they decided to do yet another canvas of Harley’s neighborhood. This led them to the vacant house. “It had previously been checked multiple times. There was no evidence of forced entry, there was a lock box, doors were secured,” said Hickman.
The house was then searched. Harley’s coat and glasses were discovered on the second floor of the house next to a brick chimney.
It appears that Harley climbed an antenna tower to the roof and entered the chimney. Once in the chimney, his belongings were pushed through a flue into the house. He was trapped in the chimney. “It’s 9 inches by 13 inches inside,” said the chief. “This is a tragic outcome to the case, and a tough loss to the community,” Chief Hickman said.
Port Clinton police, in a December 31, 2019 update, said that Harley’s family has “fully cooperated and we have no reason to believe they are involved.” They added, “Our investigators continue to research the records that we have been able to obtain thus far. The investigation is being conducted by federal, state and local law enforcement partners.”
Police asked people to stop spreading rumors. “Please allow the professionals involved in this case to continue to do their job – we are working tirelessly and will continue to do so until Harley is brought home and reunited with his family,” they wrote.
News5 Cleveland reported that the boy’s body was found after police searched “a vacant home on Fulton Street.” It’s not clear what led authorities to the vacant home, though, because police have yet to release many details.
The station reported that the coroner and other authorities were at the scene for more than seven hours and that a sledgehammer and bags of evidence were seen at the scene. Reports indicated that journalists saw a red puffy coat similar to the one Harley was wearing through a window of the home as authorities searched it.
Fox8 Cleveland reported that there “was a heavy police presence in an unoccupied house on E. 5th Street Monday night,” a location across the street from Harley’s family home. The cause of death is not yet clear. It’s also not clear whether police have any suspects.
4. Harley Was Last Seen Leaving for School But He Never Arrived There, Police Say
Port Clinton PDHarley Dilly missing person poster.
Harley’s missing person’s picture is the cover photo of the Port Clinton, Ohio Police Department’s Facebook page. It says that Harley Dilly was born on August 12, 2005 and disappeared on December 20, 2019. He’s a white male with brown hair and green eyes, who stands 4 foot 9 inches tall and weighs 100 pounds. He disappeared from Port Clinton, Ohio, and is 14 years old.
When last seen, Harley was wearing a maroon puffer jacket, grey sweatpants, and black tennis shoes. He wears eyeglasses. People with information should call the Port Clinton Police Department at 419-734-3121.
“He was supposed to go to school that day. He didn’t come home,” said the police chief in a press conference. The parents became concerned. He went missing on a Friday; police were notified on that Saturday. The parents felt he had “stayed out all night before,” and when he didn’t come home, they became concerned, about 24 hours later. The chief found out on Facebook that Harley’s mom had posted about her concern. The extensive investigation was started Monday. According to the chief, Harley’s habit was to stay with friends when there were issues in the home.
According to police, Harley “was last seen on December 20th, 2019 in Port Clinton, Ohio, as Harley was leaving for school between the hours of 6:00am and 7:00am but never arrived…Law enforcement is concerned for his safety.” In a press conference, the chief said Harley had complained of feeling sick but was told to go to school.
On January 3, 2020, Pat Adkins, the local school superintendent posted a message to parents that explained that the district was working closely with Port Clinton police to locate missing high school student, Harley Dilly. Counseling was available for those who needed it.
5. Police Called Harley a Particular Youth & Found a Surveillance Video Showing Him; He had a YouTube Channel That Raised Concern
The surveillance image police think shows Harley Dilly.
On LivePD, detective Ronald Timmons of the Port Clinton police department, said authorities were able to obtain a surveillance camera image showing a person they believe to be Harley crossing the street in front of his house at 6:08 in the morning on December 20. That was the last known sighting of Harley.
“He has a very particular schedule. He eats certain foods and bathes sometimes four or five times a day. If he goes to a friend’s house he will go to the house and return to bathe before going to the friend’s house for the rest of the day. He stays around the house fairly often,” Timmons said.
His cell phone was broken at the residence at the time he left, Timmons said on LivePD, but it wasn’t clear what this was based on.
It was 18 degrees when he left in a thin sweatshirt and thin puffy coat. Authorities believe he was going to meet with someone police haven’t identified yet.
On LivePD, Detective Timmons confirmed that Harley “does have a big social media presence. He’s on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Reddit, YouTube, Discord, and he likes mobile games, but there was no activity on any of that” since he disappeared.
His most recent video on YouTube, from 2019, was titled, “RIP Harley Dilly YouTube Channel.” In the video, he talks about starting a new YouTube channel and getting rid of his old one after four years. “It’s over. 4 Years ago started the channel and today I buried it );” the video says. His YouTube channel is causing concern, according to Sandusky Register. One video shows him shirtless. It’s called 1st QnA Come And Join Me, and he gives out his phone number in it.