Suffield man charged with murder in the death of his wife

A 59-year-old Suffield man, Donald Small, has been charged with murder after deputies found his wife dead from knife wounds at their Winterhaven Drive home on Monday, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

The Portage County Sheriff’s Office released the following news release around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday:

PRESS RELEASE
February 16, 2022

In follow up to Monday’s press release, on Monday February 14, 2022, deputies responded to Winterhaven Drive in Suffield Township for an ambulance request. Upon arrival, it was determined that Barbara Small was deceased and had several wounds which were caused by a knife. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation responded to assist in processing the crime scene. An investigation was conducted and Barbara’s husband, Donald Small, was taken into custody and interviewed. Today Donald was formally charged with the murder of Barbara Small.

The Portage County Sheriff’s Office has not released much information in an effort to protect the family during this sensitive time. We also need to protect the integrity of our investigation which is currently ongoing. The Portage County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all agencies involved including the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Portage County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Suffield Township Fire Department.

Respectfully,
Ralph Spidalieri
Chief Deputy
Portage County Sheriff’s Office