RODNEY — A man and woman are dead and a suspect is in custody following a shooting incident Tuesday at a stone yard just off Ohio 588 west of Rodney.

Gallia County Sheriff Joe Browning confirmed that the victims are John Paul Holley and Carolyn Merry, ages and addresses not immediately available. Deputies arrested Walter E. Stewart, 76, Wellston, at the scene in connection with the shootings.

Gallia County 911 was informed at 5:28 p.m. that Holley and Merry had been shot on top of the hill at Holley Brothers Stone Quarry. The alleged shooter, identified to authorities as Stewart, was reportedly still at the scene, and Gallia County 911’s log of the incident revealed Stewart was taken into custody at 5:43 p.m.

Merry is believed to have died at the scene, while Holley was taken by EMS to a landing zone set up at nearby Faith Baptist Church and placed on a HealthNet air ambulance for transport to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va.

HealthNet later advised 911 that the victim was dead on arrival.

“Our preliminary investigation indicates Mr. Stewart and the victims were involved in a business dispute,” Browning said.

The sheriff and investigators are consulting with the Gallia County Prosecuting Attorney’s office on charges, and Browning said the crime scene is being processed by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. Investigators were continuing to question Stewart.

The sheriff’s department was assisted at the scene by the EMS, Rio Grande Village Police and the Gallia-Meigs Post of the State Highway Patrol.