Officials said the young adults were found unresponsive inside a running Honda.
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Carbon monoxide is a focus of the investigation after two people were found dead inside a running vehicle Sunday at Eastwoods Park, where police said the gas exceeded safe levels inside the car.
The case centers on a 2004 Honda found in the park parking area shortly before 11 a.m. June 28. North Canton police said a 22-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man were inside and unresponsive. Both were pronounced dead at the scene, and their identities were withheld pending family notification.
Police said officers responded after a report of a suspicious parked vehicle. When they arrived, the engine was still running. The North Canton Fire Department assisted and confirmed the preliminary carbon monoxide findings. Police said there were no signs of foul play, violence or a struggle, but investigators had not released a final cause of death.
Commander Ellen Kazimer with Cleveland EMS said carbon monoxide exposure can be hard to identify because symptoms may seem like a routine illness. “You have a headache,” Kazimer said. “Maybe you go outside or you’re away from whatever that environment is and the headache goes away.”
Kazimer said summer cases are less common because many carbon monoxide incidents involve heating sources used in colder weather. Still, she said vehicle ventilation can matter in some cases, including when windows are up and air conditioning is running. Police did not say whether ventilation problems, exhaust issues or another vehicle condition caused the gas buildup.
The Stark County Coroner’s Office will determine the official cause and manner of death. Police said the case remains active, and no additional information had been released as of Tuesday.
Author note: Last updated June 30, 2026.