Bowling Green Man Charged With Murder in Death of Phil Masterson

Officials are charging Zachary Brody of Bowling Green with murder, voluntary manslaughter and felonious assault for the death of Westlake native Phil Masterson, reports The Sandusky Register.

Phil Masterson, a 25-year-old Westlake native and 2004 St. Ignatius High School graduate, was found dead by his family in the woods behind a rental property on South Bass Island Tuesday afternoon, according to The Plain Dealer.

Brody, 27, is being held without bond for the murder charge, and $70,000 on the other charges, reports the Sandusky Register.

According to NewsNet5, authorities believe Brody beat Masterson to death. Brody and Masterson both had mixed martial arts training.

WKYC reports that Masterson was also trained in MMA, and was a rising star in the arena. According to MMANews, Masterson was a 2-0 amateur fighter, and his brother Matt is a professional with a 9-3 record.

According to the missing-person report from the Put-in-Bay police department, Masterson was last seen leaving a bar and heading toward 4 Foxes Den.

His body was found at about 3 p.m. Tuesday near The Island Club with scars and bruises on it, near a tarp reports the Sandusky Register. No weapons were found near the body, according to The Plain Dealer.

Masterson’s mother called Put-in-Bay police at about 6 p.m. Monday evening to report him missing, estimating that he had been gone for about 18 hours, reports the Sandusky Register, adding that police reports show that Masterson had been visiting the island with friends.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation was called to the scene late Tuesday, while Ottawa County Sheriff workers were still at work, according to the Sandusky Register.