LINCOLN COUNTY, Mo. – As the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office continues its investigation of a decomposed body found in the area, those who live right next door say they’re set to own the property in just a few days. After weeks of smelling something peculiar, neighbors said they were lucky they weren’t the ones who found the remains.
Rodger and Reggie Evans are long-time residents of the area; their mother purchased the house right next to Wednesday’s body recovery over 30 years ago. The Evans said that after smelling something peculiar for some time, Rodger decided to investigate the property, especially since it was soon to be theirs.
“I had a walk-through three weeks ago and smelled this odor so bad I had to walk with my shirt over my face,” Rodger said.
The brothers said they have dealt with the odor for over a month.
“I get a phone call saying, ‘Hey, there’s a dead body in the house next door to you guys,” Reggie said.
Soon the police surrounded the property on Ethlyn Road. Inside the abandoned house is where they found the skeletal remains of the deceased person, which came after the department received a tip. Due to decomposition, authorities said it could take longer to identify who the person is and how long they’ve been dead.
“Every now and then, you’ll see a car over there, and people…like dump stuff,” Reggie said.
The conditions inside the house are also making it difficult to buy it. The property has been vacant since 2009. According to records, the owner of the land lives in Whitewater, Missouri. The Evans said he hasn’t been there for some time, and the last time they spoke to him was regarding taking ownership of the property.
“We are in the process of buying it, we do close on it Tuesday,” Reggie said.
As Lincoln County continues to investigate, dental records and close observations from media examiners could provide more clues. They said that tips from the community could be helpful. The two brothers consider themselves lucky that the police were the first ones to discover the remains and not them.
“I’m glad it was found yesterday and not when we get to go through it next week sometime,” Reggie said.
According to the sheriff’s department, any information or tips the public can provide to assist in the investigation is helpful. They’ve now brought in an anthropologist to help with the case.
