Ollie Man Charged With Murder Following Discovery of Burnt Human Remains

OLLIE – On Feb. 1, 44-year-old Jeffrey Gautreaux was arrested following the discovery of burnt human remains at his home outside Ollie. The remains belong to an adult human, who the arresting officers were unable to positively identify due to the state of the corpse. The body is currently being examined by the State Anthropologist, the Office of the State Medical Examiner and the DCI Crime Lab. Law enforcement has tentatively identified the body as that of 40-year-old Craig Smith, of Ottumwa.

On Jan. 20, Smith’s roommate reported to the police that he had been missing for more than one week. According to the criminal complaint, Smith's sister Alicia Eckley last saw Smith on Jan. 7, at her home in Richland. That day, Smith received a phone call from a friend, Desiree Potter, who asked him to work on a vehicle for her. Smith told her to leave the vehicle at Gautreaux's home outside Ollie. According to cellular data, Smith's cell phone traveled from the Eckley residence to the Gautreaux residence on Jan. 7, where it stayed until going silent several hours later. Smith was not seen again after Jan. 7. The phone was powered on on Jan. 17, with cellular data showing it was still at Gautreaux's home.

On Feb. 1, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Ottumwa Police Department and Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on Gautreaux’s home, in an attempt to find Smith. Burnt human remains, presumably belonging to Smith, were discovered outside the home. In an interview with a DCI agent, Gautreaux admitted to shooting Smith in the face with a shotgun, then burning his body to conceal the crime. He also admitted to powering Smith's cell phone on on Jan. 17, before destroying it. Gautreaux has been charged with Murder in the First Degree and Abuse of a Corpse - Mutilate/Dismember to Hide Crime.

Gautreaux's stepfather, 63-year-old Steven Grant, was in the home at the time of the murder. He reported to the police that he heard a gunshot, then came out of his bedroom to find Smith's body. Gautreaux and Grant were initially charged with drug offenses. Grant has since been released from custody.

This investigation is ongoing. The DCI has requested that anyone with information related to the investigation contact them at 515-725-6010 or at dciinfo@dps.state.ia.us.

The DCI stresses that a criminal charge is merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.