An Ohio father of two who was reported missing after he did not return home from a job was found dead inside a trash compactor behind a CVS drugstore, police said, as investigators and a medical examiner worked this week to determine how he ended up inside the machine.
The death of Andrew Strand, 34, has prompted questions about workplace safety, access to industrial equipment, and the steps taken in the hours before his body was discovered. Shaker Heights police said Strand was at the CVS on Chagrin Boulevard doing contract mechanical work when his wife became worried and used a cellphone tracking feature that led officers to the store. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office is investigating the cause and manner of death, and police said the case remains open while evidence is gathered and reviewed.
Police said Strand left home earlier on Feb. 4 to work at the CVS location and was expected back that evening. When he did not return and did not respond to calls, his wife, Jaymie Strand, contacted police at about 10 p.m., according to the account given by Shaker Heights police. She told officers she had tracked his phone to the CVS property. Officers arrived, searched the store and the area behind it, and found Strand inside a trash compactor at the back of the property, police said. The store’s exterior area includes a service section where refuse and cardboard are handled, and police said that was where the compactor was located.
Investigators have not publicly described what Strand was doing in the minutes before he was found, or whether he entered the compactor area as part of his work assignment. Police have also not said whether the compactor was operating when he was found, whether it was activated by a switch, or what controls and safeguards were in place. Shaker Heights police Commander John Cole said the department is working with the medical examiner and reviewing information that could clarify the sequence of events. Officials said they will also look at any security camera footage available from the store and surrounding areas, along with statements from employees and contractors who were on site.
CVS said it is cooperating with law enforcement. The company did not provide details about the compactor system, Strand’s work order, or the procedures used to secure the area after hours. The store’s operations, including trash and recycling procedures, can involve compactors that compress materials in enclosed chambers, equipment that typically requires training and safety steps to prevent a person from being inside the unit. Authorities did not say whether any locks, interlocks, or warning devices were present or whether they were engaged at the time. They also did not say if investigators have ruled out any possibilities, emphasizing that the findings will depend on autopsy results and the review of physical and digital evidence.
Friends and relatives described Strand as a hands-on father and a supportive husband who had recently been focused on building his own business. In posts shared online, family members said Strand had started a mechanic business and took pride in working long hours to support his household. Loved ones described him as the kind of person who showed up for others, coached youth sports, and stayed active in his children’s routines. Those descriptions have been repeated in tributes that spread after the news became public, with many messages focusing on the suddenness of the death and the shock of where he was found.
A fundraiser created for Strand’s family drew donations within days as relatives said the family faced funeral expenses and the loss of the household’s primary income. The fundraiser description portrayed Strand as a devoted parent and a man who had recently made big changes in his life. It said he had been working to support his family and had been looking ahead to future plans with his wife and children. Supporters left messages describing him as generous and steady, and several donors said they wanted to ease the burden on his family while investigators worked to determine what happened.
Authorities have released few technical details as the investigation continues, and they cautioned against assuming a cause before the medical examiner finishes its work. In cases involving industrial equipment, investigators often examine the machine’s condition, power state, and safety mechanisms, as well as who had access to the controls and whether any alarms or logs were triggered. Police have not said whether the compactor was a cardboard baler-style unit or a trash compactor used for general refuse, and they have not described whether it was located in an enclosed room, an outdoor corral, or a gated service lane. Those details can matter because different machines and settings have different safeguards and access points.
Shaker Heights police have also not said whether anyone else was present behind the store during the search, or whether Strand’s work required him to be near the compactor area. Contract mechanical work can include repairs to HVAC systems, refrigeration units, or building equipment that may be located in back-of-house spaces, rooftops, or service corridors. Police have not publicly identified the company that hired Strand or the entity that dispatched him to the CVS site, and they have not said whether occupational safety agencies have been notified or whether any parallel workplace review is underway. Officials said their priority is establishing a clear timeline and confirming how Strand died.
The medical examiner’s office typically conducts an autopsy in unexpected deaths and may order toxicology tests or other lab work, processes that can take time. Police said they do not have final results and will not release a cause of death until the medical examiner issues its determination. Investigators said they will also rely on scene analysis, including the position of the body, the condition of the equipment, and any signs of injury consistent with the operation of a compactor. They have not indicated whether the death is being investigated as an accident, a workplace incident, or a criminal case, saying only that the matter remains under investigation.
For Strand’s wife, the moment of discovery was preceded by hours of uncertainty and a phone signal that narrowed the search. Family members said she became alarmed when he did not check in and then used location tools to find his last known spot. Police said that information led them to the CVS property and to the search that ended behind the store. The location detail has shaped public reaction to the case, with many people expressing disbelief that a missing person could be found in such a place and asking how a contractor could end up inside a compactor without someone noticing sooner.
Local residents said the CVS sits along a busy corridor where customers and employees come and go throughout the day, but the service area behind the building is less visible from the street. That back-of-store separation is common in retail sites, where dumpsters and compactors are placed to keep refuse handling away from customers. Police said they are working to determine who was in the building that evening, what time the store closed, and whether any maintenance activity continued after hours. Investigators also said they will evaluate whether any policy or procedural changes are needed once the facts are established, though no such recommendations have been issued.
Police said the case remains active, with interviews and evidence collection continuing. Strand’s family has asked for privacy as they grieve and wait for answers. The next milestone is the medical examiner’s report, which will provide official findings about the cause and manner of death and help investigators decide what, if any, additional steps are needed.
Author note: Last updated February 10, 2026.