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ALVA | Son charged with father's murder after body found inside freezer

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Update Sept 15, 2023 11 a.m. — Lee County Sheriff's Office has confirmed the body of Brian Hemmert has been found inside his home.

His son, Jake Hemmert, is charged with his murder.

The body was found inside the home in a freezer.

A Facebook post from the Lee County Sheriff's Office confirms the body was found during an investigation on September 7, 2023.

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ARREST MADE IN ALVA DEATH INVESTIGATION
Homicide detectives with the Lee County Sheriff's Office have arrested an Alva man for his involvement in the murder of 60 year-old victim Brian Hemmert.
31 year-old Jake Hemmert, the son of Brian Hemmert, has been charged with 2nd degree murder, credit card fraud, and grand theft.
Detectives launched an investigation on August 28, 2023 when Brian was reported missing by a family member. As the investigation developed, Jake was placed under arrest on a unrelated out-of-state warrant.
On September 7, Brian was located deceased inside a freezer, with a defect, in their shared home on Yellow Wood Drive in Alva.
Jake Hemmert is currently booked in the Lee County Jail.

Original Story — The Lee County Sheriff's Office is conducting a death investigation at an Alva home in the River Hall neighborhood.

LCSO has confirmed with Fox 4 the person found dead is 60-year-old Brian Hemmert, a man missing since June 1.

The investigation is happening at 15235 Yellow Wood Dr.

Deputies previously responded to the home on August 28 in reference to a missing persons case.

According to the missing persons report obtained by Fox 4, there are two persons of interest in the case, though they are not named.

A probable cause statement from LCSO says Hemmert's son, Jake Ryan Hemmert, was arrested on August 28 on an out-of-state warrant when they responded to the home on.

He was wanted on a burglary charge out of Phoenix, Arizona from November 2020.

Fox 4's Bella Line spoke with neighbors who said River Hall is a quiet neighborhood where most who reside there are 55 and older.

Jack Kelly, a neighbor, said he returned from a long vacation this week to find a death investigation just yards away from his doorstep.

“This is a very peaceful community, and I don’t remember anything like this happening," said Kelly. "Little stuff here and there, but nothing like this.”

When asked if this incident was a safety concern, Kelly and many of his neighbors agreed they were not worried at this time.

"Hopefully they’ll find an answer of exactly what happened, but I’m still comfortable. I feel safe," said Kelly.

It's not known yet how Hemmert died.