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Houston officer in charge found dead in Pittsburgh

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The Houston Borough police officer in charge was found dead inside a car in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Mark Hall, 47, had been reported missing by Pittsburgh police Monday. In a Facebook post, police said he was last seen in the West End on Jan. 23 and may have been driving a 1999 purple Toyota Sienna.

Hall was found unresponsive inside a car in the Hot Metal Parking Garage on Sidney Street in the South Side at 1:23 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office. Hall was pronounced dead 15 minutes later.

The medical examiner’s office has not reported a cause and manner of death, but their investigation along with Pittsburgh police is ongoing.

Houston Mayor James Stubenbordt said Hall had been staying with his sister in Pittsburgh. He would have had four years on the job as Houston’s officer in charge in May. He had worked as a patrol officer for the part-time police department prior to that.

Stubenbordt said the last time he spoke with Hall was on Jan. 22. Hall did not show up for work on Jan. 24 or 26. According to Stubenbordt, he had not called off.

Stubenbordt said Hall’s sister called to check to see if he had reported to work. He described Hall as an outgoing person, and well-loved by the community.

“He would go out of his way to help anybody. He was that type of an officer,” Stubenbordt said. “He was dependable. He didn’t shirk any of his duties … It makes a difference in a small community.”

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