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WEST CHESTER TWP. — A West Chester Twp. resident found a man's body Wednesday, Oct. 8, near Gregory Creek behind Maud Hughes Road.

The Butler County Coroner's Office has identified the dead man as 31-year-old Ryan Morris, of Fourth Street in West Chester Twp. According to his cousin, Paul Morris, Ryan Morris graduated from Mason High School and had two children and a wife.

"He had a troubled past," he said. "His father passed away shortly after 9/11. I introduced him to movies when he was a little kid. I loved the kid and I'm going to miss him."

Morris had been reported as "critical missing," Sept. 24, after his family reported that he left his residence Sept. 21 and had not returned.

"When he left the residence, he was kind of distraught," said Capt. Joel Herzog of the West Chester Twp. Police Dept.

No one noticed the body until Wednesday, though he said it is undetermined how long the body had been there. The investigation is still underway and the police are waiting on the coroner's toxicology reports, he said.

An autopsy performed on Morris' body Thursday, Oct. 9, revealed no apparent physical trauma that would indicate foul play, the coroner's office said.

West Chester Twp. Police said they are awaiting the coroner's report as the investigation continues.

Staff writers Denise Wilson and Lindsey Hilty contributed to this report.