COLE CAMP, Mo. – Investigators made a public plea for help Thursday at a press conference regarding a triple murder in the small central Missouri town of Cole Camp.
Taron Luetjen, 15, and her grandparents, Donnie and Sharon Luetjen, 64 and 61, were found dead early Tuesday evening in the couple’s home. Cole Camp Police Chief Stormy Walker said they died of gunshot wounds, but indicated little other information would be made public so as to not impede the investigation.
“This is the first crime of this type we could record back 170 years,” Walker said.
See More of What Walker Had to Say by Clicking on the Media Player to the RightMissouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Scott Meyer said they had not identified a suspect, but added they had not ruled out the possibility that more than one person was involved in the case.
“Anytime you have a triple homicide in your community everybody should be concerned,” Meyer said. ”Everybody should lock their doors everybody should look after their neighbor and be observant to things going on around them.”
Benton County Sheriff Rick Fajen said there are approximately 30 officers from 15 different agencies following up dozens of leads.
Walker not only asked for Cole Camp citizens or anyone else who may have information on the case to come forward, but also encouraged reporters to share pertinent information they may get during interviews with the proper authorities.
Fajen said they were particularly interested in speaking to anyone who may have information about the family’s actions between when they were last seen alive – on Saturday evening – and when their bodies were discovered on Tuesday.
“If anybody saw them or talked to them, we would like them to come forward,” Fajen said.
Anyone with information about the murders is asked to call the Cole Camp Police Department at (660) 668-2321, the Benton County Sheriffs Department at (660) 438-5252, or the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Troop A Headquarters at (816) 622-0800.
