The death of a man found in a slough just off Turkey Creek between Duquesne and Duenweg has been ruled an accidental drowning, according to the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s Capt. Derek Walrod said a preliminary autopsy report showed no sign of blunt force trauma or any other kind of foul play to indicate Ronnie James Genandt, 33, Joplin, had been murdered.
Genandt’s body was found at about 5:35 p.m. Tuesday near Seventh Street and Travis Acres close to Turkey Creek. Walrod said Genandt’s body was found floating in waist-deep water.
Walrod said investigators, as of Thursday, had not talked to anyone who had seen Genandt since Jan. 2 or Jan. 4, so investigators are guessing he may have been in the water at that spot since then.
“We know he had been staying with friends at a trailer park near there,” Walrod said. “The friends told us it was not uncommon for Genandt to go walking through that area as a shortcut, so he had reason to be there.”
Walrod said Genandt had a prior criminal record. A warrant had been issued for Genandt’s arrest on Dec. 19, 2011 for failure to appear at a hearing scheduled for Dec. 12, 2011 on felony charges of possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana and possession with the intent to manufacture controlled chemical substances.
He had been bound over on these charges after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing on Dec. 6, 2011.
Walrod said the investigation would remain open pending the final autopsy report, which could take several weeks. Genandt’s body was released for burial to the Paul Thomas Funeral Home in Miami, Okla.
