COLLINSVILLE, Ill. — The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis is asking for the public's help to solve the murder of a man who was found in a ditch in Collinsville, Illinois, Wednesday morning.
Tyrese Owens, 21, was found stabbed in the torso and later pronounced dead.
Sandra Callahan, a neighbor, said the case comes as a shock.
"Evil doesn't hide in (the) darkness anymore, it has come out to the light," Callahan said.
Under the shadows of the Collinsville, Illinois, Owens was found Wednesday morning in a ditch just outside of his apartment in the 500 block of Loop Street. His body had serious lacerations to the torso. Neighbors said they found Owens and called police.
He was later pronounced deceased by the Madison County Coroner's Office.
Many on Loop Street said it was shocking because Owens was a Collinsville High School graduate.
One neighbor in Owens' complex told 5 On Your Side that a couple of nights ago, a man knocked on their door asking for Owens. Just a couple of doors down, Callahan said she was home at the time and had to console Owens' friends.
"As (Owens' friends) walked down, I asked them, 'Was this a friend of yours?' And they said, 'Yeah' [as] tears were coming. I asked if I could have a prayer with them. So we prayed," Callahan added.
The Collinsville Police Department has requested the Major Case Squad to lead the investigation. Officials said 20 investigators are assigned to the case and are currently following several leads.
"Please just step forward. Just go ahead and step forward. You know things happen ... we know that, but we have a family down here who's devastated over the loss of a son, grandson brother and that's the hard part," Callahan said.
Callahan said she remembers Owens walking up and down the street with two of his dogs.
She said the people on her street are close-knit and want more answers.
"Let's grab our kids and hug them, love them and tell them there's a different way than this," Callahan said.
The Major Case Squad said they are deep into the investigation and will have additional information in the near future. They want anyone with information to call them at the number 618-344-2131 ext. 5300.