ROBERTSVILLE, Mo. — A quiet neighborhood in Franklin County has been swarmed with investigators for the last two days after a man was found dead inside a truck in the middle of the road.
Just before 7 a.m. Wednesday, Mike Sewald was headed to check his mailbox when he saw the vehicle.
The former police officer has lived and worked repairing dents at the end of Circle Drive in Robertsville for 16 years.
“If I see a car stopped in the area, I always go check it out. A lot of people stop out front because they get good phone reception. That's a good spot right there, and you can see taillights or brake lights."
This time, Sewald saw a grey Jeep Cherokee Latitude with no lights on and no one in need of cell service.
"I saw a person inside the car partially covered with a tarp so I know there was something wrong," Sewald said.
Green evidence markers still mark the areas where investigators with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office along with The Greater St. Louis Major Case Squad have worked.
According to a release, deputies found Jarrett Obenauer, 29, dead inside the truck with a gunshot wound.
Neighbors in the area were startled, wanting the crime to be solved and quickly.
“It freaked me out because you know these things happen. Every day something new pops up. I know I see a lot of different vehicles up and down. I don't know what's going on here though," said Gustavo Castro, another neighbor.
“Hope they get this wrapped up so we can sleep better at night," Sewald added.
Officials with the Sheriff’s Office told 5 On Your Side that no suspects had been identified and that it was unclear what led to the homicide.
The St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers said Friday that it is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an identification and arrest of suspect(s).
Anyone with information is asked to call the Franklin County Sheriff's Office at 636-583-2560 or CrimeStoppers, at 866-371-8477.