OLLIE, Iowa — A suspect has been charged with murder after law enforcement found a man's body at a home near Ollie in Keokuk County, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation said in a press release.
44-year-old Jeffrey Gautreaux faces charges of Murder in the First Degree and Abuse of a Corpse in connection to the death of 40-year-old Craig Smith.
Smith was reported missing to the Ottumwa Police Department by his roommate on Saturday, Jan. 20. The roommate told police he had not been in contact with Smith for two weeks. At the time, police believed he may have been on his way to see a friend in Keokuk County.
According to a criminal complaint against Gautreaux, Smith's sister told Ottumwa police detectives that she had last seen Smith on Jan. 7 at her home in Richland, which is also in Keokuk County. While with his sister, Smith received a phone call from a friend, Desiree Potter.
Potter confirmed the phone call occurred around 12:10 p.m., telling detectives Smith indicated he was going to Gautreaux's home to drop off a vehicle, but would meet up with her later. The car was registered to Steven Grant, Gautreaux's stepfather.
Around 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 7, Potter missed a call from Smith's phone number. The missed call was the last time anyone heard from Smith, court documents state.
Law enforcement used cellular data analysis to track Smith's cell phone to Gautreaux's home. Data usage stopped on Jan. 7 at around 6:20 p.m. No data usage was reported again until Jan. 17, when Smith's phone was powered on while still at Gautreaux's home.
On Thursday, Feb. 1, Iowa DCI, Ottumwa police and the Keokuk County Sheriff's Office executed a search warrant at Gautreaux's home on Highway 78.
Law enforcement found human remains outside of the residence. Gautreaux indicated to authorities the remains belonged to Craig Smith. The State Anthropologist, the State Medical Examiner and the DCI Crime Lab are working to confirm the identification.
In an interview with a DCI agent, Gautreaux said that he, Grant and Smith were at the home on Jan. 7 when Gautreaux shot Smith in the face, killing him.
Gautreaux told the agent he concealed Smith's body and attempted to burn his remains. He also admitted to powering on Smith's cell phone on Jan. 17 before destroying it.
Grant told law enforcement that he was in the bedroom at the time of the shooting. He was arrested and charged with drug offenses, but has since been released from custody, DCI said.