Waterloo police are searching for the owner of a local auto repair business, and a female, in connection with a homicide investigation. Authorities are asking for the public’s help in finding 43-year-old Anthony Tronca and 29-year-old Jessica Ogden.
They are being sought for questioning in the disappearance of a Waterloo man and the recent discovery of a body in a wooded area south of the city. Investigators have released little information about the week-old case. What is known is that authorities opened a missing person report on 44-year-old Ronald Dean Randall of Waterloo on Tuesday, September 9th around 8:30 p.m.
Police say during the investigation, officers searched a wooded area off U.S. Highway 218 south of Waterloo and found a body believed to be Ronald Randall. An autopsy performed at the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny determined that the death was a homicide. However, further forensic examination will be needed for official identification, due to the condition of the body.
In conjunction with the investigation, Waterloo police executed a search warrant at AJT Auto Repair, which is owned by Troca. The business has been cordoned off with police tape and authorities are keeping 24-hour surveillance on the property. Police currently don’t know the whereabouts of Tronca or Ogden. They are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Tronca on outstanding warrants.
Anyone with information concerning the investigation is encouraged to call the Waterloo Police at 319-291-4340 or Crime Stoppers at 855-300-8477.
By Elwin Huffman, KOEL, Oelwein