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TRENTON — A Trenton man, found dead in the bathtub of his Oak Avenue home, and the woman charged with his killing had had a troubled relationship, said the victim's father.

Melford Peyton, a retired Middletown police officer, said the death of his son, Keith Peyton, was a shock but not really a surprise.

"After being a police officer, I know what can happen," he said Friday, Aug. 15.

Joanna Hull, 42, called dispatchers Wednesday night, Aug. 13, to tell them she had killed Peyton, her boyfriend, about a week ago. She said he was in the upstairs bathroom.

Police found the 47-year-old's badly decomposed body right where Hull said it would be. Peyton died of blunt force trauma to the head, according to the Butler County Coroner's office. He had been dead for two to 10 days.

Hull said she had been taking bunches of pills since killing Peyton in an attempt to end her life. But she told police she doesn't remember how she killed Peyton.

Melford Peyton said his son went to Edgewood High School, then joined the military where he was a helicopter crewman in the Air Force. He also served in the Army.

Hull was in the Navy, according to Melford Peyton, and moved to Trenton with Keith a few years ago. Keith Peyton retired from the military when he became disabled after developing a rare blood disease.

Hull has an 18-year-old son, Aaron, who is mentally challenged, according to Trenton Police Chief Carl Ray. Aaron Hull lives in Trenton but not in the house occupied by his mother and Peyton.

According to Trenton police records, officers had been called to the residence twice in the past two years for verbal disputes. In June, Hull filed a report claiming she had been raped by Peyton. Ray said after an investigation, detectives determined the allegation was unfounded.

Hull is in the Butler County Jail on charges of aggravated murder, tampering with evidence and gross abuse of a corpse. Her bond is $265,000. Attorney Melynda Cook-Reich has been appointed to defend Hull. An Aug. 25 preliminary hearing is scheduled.