A 44-year-old southeast Iowa man has been charged with first degree murder and abuse of a corpse after authorities executing a search warrant found a body near the town of Ollie. The State Anthropologist is helping the state crime lab identify the remains.
According to a news release from the Iowa Department of Public Safety, evidence and statements collected during an investigation has led authorities to tentatively identify the remains as those of 40-year-old Craig Smith of Ottumwa. Smith was reported missing by his roommate on January 20.
According to the criminal complaint, Smith went to Jeffrey Gautreaux’s home to drop off a vehicle he’d been fixing and Gautreaux told investigators he shot Smith in the face, then tried to burn Smith’s body.