VERMILION — Vermilion police are calling the shooting death of a man early this morning suspicious.

Officers were called to a home at 2001 North Ridge Road just after 6 this morning and found Jeremy Simko, 36, dead of a gunshot wound in a bedroom.

“We have information that leads us to suspect that it needs looked into more than the average suicide,” according to Police Chief Bob Kish.

“He was shot in a manner that causes us great concern,” Kish said. “We don’t know at this point if it’s a homicide or a suicide, but we’re treating it as a suspicious death.”

Lorain County Coroner Paul Matus said he didn’t expect to rule on a cause of death until late this week or next week.

Simko and his wife, Julene, were in the house when police arrived, but Kish wouldn’t say whether it was believed anyone else was in the house at the time of the shooting.

Watch Vermilion Police Chief Bob Kish talk about the shooting:

Julene Simko was taken to Community Regional Medical Center, where she was treated and released, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

“She was very distraught, very upset,” according to Kish. “She was having difficulty communicating with us and was crying and emotional” but did not have any obvious physical injuries or gunshot wounds.

“We thought she needed to get checked out,” Kish said.

The Simkos own and operate Simko Tree Service, which is based at their home and other buildings on their property.

According to the Simko Web site, “Jeremy and Julene Simko are honest, trustworthy, and hardworking people. We have an excellent safety record and take pride in our work. Quality is key at Simko Tree Service.”

View Vermilion shooting in a larger map

A neighbor, who didn’t want to give her name, said she wasn’t close with the Simkos but had seen them just yesterday raking leaves in their yard.

“They were always together,” the neighbor said. “Always. If you saw one, you saw the other.”

Police remained on the scene late Wednesday and planned to have the house secured for at least another day, Kish said. Julene Simko had not returned to the house, and Kish couldn’t say where she was.

Officers were searching the yard and driveway area with metal detectors midday today.

“It’s a large house, a large barn, two out-buildings, a large area of land with houses far apart, and we need to question residents and neighbors,” Kish said when asked about the length of time being spent processing the scene.

Vermilion police and the coroner were being assisted by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the Lorain County prosecutor’s office.

A number of animals were on the property, and police were making arrangements to be sure they were taken care of, Kish said.

Kish said there were three to five dogs, all of which were secured, and a handful of geese and chickens.

Contact Rona Proudfoot at 329-7124 or rproudfoot@chroniclet.com.