Robert Knisley was 34 when he was found dead along State Route 668 north of State Route 37 in Perry County on July 4, 2005. He had attended Fourth of July festivities, including a private party in the area, earlier that evening.

His body was discovered lying in the middle of the rural roadway in a vulnerable state with significant trauma. Investigators reported that he appeared to have been either severely beaten or possibly struck by a vehicle, and the exact sequence of events that produced his injuries has not been clarified. The investigation encountered a lack of witnesses and physical evidence that could definitively determine whether his injuries were the result of an assault or a vehicular incident.

The death is classified as a homicide and remains unsolved. Anyone who was in the area that night or has information about Knisley’s movements after the party is urged to contact the Perry County Sheriff’s Office.