It did not take long for them to find ample evidence to support Fry's claims about Thomas Dillon’s penchant for animal killings and vandalism.

On September 20, 1992, a witness saw a red Toyota pickup truck, similar to Dillon’s, near the spot where a dog had been killed in Tuscarawas County.  A .25-caliber slug was removed from the animal's body. Fry confirmed that Dillon owned a .25-caliber rifle and, at Detective Wilson’s request, bought it from Dillon.   Days later, a ballistic match was made.

When Wilson ran a check on Dillon's history of firearms purchases, he learned that Dillon had bought numerous weapons from a licensed federal firearms dealer.  The dealer's records showed that Dillon had bought 18 weapons in the last few years, including two Mausers of the kind used to kill four of the five outdoorsmen.

Detective Wilson dug deeper into Dillon’s past, beginning with his employment records.  With the exception of a trivial disciplinary action for absenteeism in the 1970s, Dillon's 22-year work record was good.  But his criminal record was more interesting.  In 1969, while a student at Ohio State University, Dillon had been investigated for possessing a Russian mortar military weapon.  Authorities did not press charges, citing that the mortar was more of a collector's item than a weapon.  A second, more recent and illuminating incident had occurred in August 1991.  Dillon had been cited by a game warden for illegal target practice near a state hunting area in southern Stark County.  In a search of his pickup truck, the warden seized a .22-caliber pistol with a silencer.  Dillon later pleaded guilty to possessing an illegal silencer and was released on bond on condition that he not possess any firearms.  He was awaiting final sentencing.  The more the task force dug into Dillon’s past, the more likely a suspect he became.