Letts, Iowa – The community is in mourning following the tragic discovery of 22-year-old Samuel Kessel’s lifeless body in Muscatine County. Kessel, reported missing on Tuesday morning, was found dead after an extensive search by authorities and volunteers.
The Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office reported that the incident unfolded on Monday around 9:15 p.m. near the intersection of Independence Avenue and 231st Street. Law enforcement officers responded to the scene and discovered a red GMC Sierra with its roof in a ditch. Strikingly, the driver of the vehicle was nowhere to be found.
Efforts to locate the missing driver included a thorough search of the area using dogs and drones, but they were unsuccessful in finding the person. The driver’s phone was found inside the vehicle, raising concerns about their well-being.
The search intensified with deputies and volunteers utilizing a plane owned by the Iowa State Patrol. Tragically, Samuel Kessel’s body was discovered by volunteers at approximately 5:10 p.m. in a deep stream bed within a wooded area, just north of 231st Street and a half mile east of Independence Avenue.
Authorities noted that temperatures had dropped into the single digits overnight, but the cause of Kessel’s death has not been disclosed. An ongoing investigation by the sheriff’s office aims to uncover more details surrounding the tragic incident.
The Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office is actively seeking information from the public. Anyone with details related to this case is urged to contact them at (563-264-0188 extension 4105). The community mourns the loss of Samuel Kessel, and the investigation continues to unravel the circumstances leading to this unfortunate tragedy.
