MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Residents of a quiet Shorewood neighborhood are still in the dark as they seek answers in a man’s mysterious death. That man had been reported missing two weeks ago.
On Wednesday afternoon, police discovered the body in a home on the 5700 block of Wood Duck Circle after investigators initiated a search warrant to enter the duplex where the man lived with a woman and her three kids.
Now, a solitary police officer sits guard outside the duplex and yellow ribbons of police tape prevents access to the entire property.
Bev Redding who lives across the street.
“I can’t believe it. I don’t understand,” Redding said.
Redding says it was just a week ago when police went door-to-door looking for the man she says lived at the duplex with a younger woman and her three children.
That woman is 29-year-old Jetaun Helen Wheeler, who is being held in the Hennepin County jail for probable cause murder in connection with case.
Police are not releasing the victim’s name or the cause of death. They are only saying it is suspicious and remains under investigation.
Neighbors who spoke to the officer who was earlier inquiring about his whereabouts say the missing man didn’t appear for a recent court hearing in Chicago.
“He had two brothers here looking for him for three weeks and nobody knew where he was,” Redding said.
Among the evidence taken from the scene were remnants of partially burned carpet from a back yard fire pit.
Even though South Lake Minnetonka Police Chief Brian Litsey is calling this a “suspicious death” and reassuring the public it’s not in any danger, neighbors like Shelby Breault are unconvinced.
“It’s very scary, I didn’t sleep one bit last night. I mean, there’s been police activity there before but not like this,” Breault said.
The victim’s body was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy to determine cause of death.
Investigators are playing this very close to the vest and won’t elaborate on the couple’s relationship, his disappearance or what caused them to initiate the search warrant.
