UNION, IOWA – A Northern Iowa man was struck and killed by an Arkansas man, who is now charged with murder.
On October 12, 2021, at 5:33 am, the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a resident at 302 Commercial Street in Union, Iowa for an unresponsive male. Upon arrival, deputies located a deceased male inside the bedroom of the residence and deemed the death suspicious. The Hardin County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Update: The investigation found that the deceased male was resident Steve Reece, age 74. Reece died as a result of being struck by Osborn Eugene Gavel, age 22, of Baxter, Arkansas. Gavel and others had stayed with Reece on the evening of October 11th, 2021.
Gavel has been charged with Murder in the 1st Degree and is in custody at the Hardin County jail.