ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The Village of Uplands Park is a small community in north St. Louis County.
Idara Umana has lived in the area for two years.
"I like living here, but unfortunately, ordinary can be gunshots at times," said Umana.
Thursday afternoon when she walked her dog past Glenmore and Avondale avenues, a curious Umana couldn't take her eyes off one of her neighbors' homes. She was baffled by crime scene tape and the police officer parked outside Patrick Leeper's house.
"I'm very on edge and disturbed by it," she said.
Detectives with the Major Case Squad said at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday a relative went inside Leeper's home and found him shot to death.
Understandably, Leeper's devastated dad didn't want to talk on camera. He told 5 On Your Side his 30-year-old son was "always upbeat, cheerful, laughing and had a good spirit."
He also said his son "did not live alone."
Leeper's father wouldn't say who his son actually lived with.
"I've never seen anybody come out of the house, and that's why I'm like okay the police discovered something on Wednesday, but how long has it been there?" asked Umana.
So far, police haven't answered that question.
People who knew Leeper are flooding Facebook with condolences to his family. Neighbors are also thinking about his loved ones.
"This is just terrible. Any loss is a terrible, horrific thing," said Umana.
Anyone with information in the case is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-8477.