On New Year’s Day, the body of 55-year-old Charles Younger of Independence, Missouri, was found inside his home in the 15000 block of East Truman Road. An autopsy determined Younger had been shot and stabbed; investigators recovered three spent shell casings near his body inside the residence.

The investigation focused on 24-year-old Darryl M. Schaeffel, a homeless man who had been living with Younger for several days. Witnesses said the men had argued because Younger suspected Schaeffel of stealing from him, and reports say Schaeffel and his girlfriend allegedly planned to rob Younger's house. The couple fled; they were tracked after using an EBT card at a Walmart and a multi-agency search led to Schaeffel’s arrest in Warsaw, Missouri.

During an interview with Jackson County authorities Schaeffel confessed to Younger's murder and was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action, with prosecutors requesting a $250,000 bond. Two other people were arrested on drug possession charges at the New Hampton apartment where Schaeffel had stayed. Did anyone in Independence or the surrounding area know Younger or see him in the days before New Year’s Day?