On October 31, 2018, the body of 50-year-old Monica Lynn Keenlance was discovered at a rest area along Interstate 55 near Marston, Missouri. Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene in New Madrid County to find the victim near her vehicle, which was parked at the rest stop. Authorities determined that she had sustained a fatal gunshot wound, leading officials to immediately classify the case as a homicide.
Investigators with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the New Madrid County Sheriff's Department began processing the scene for evidence. Early reports from the investigation highlighted a potential lead regarding a vehicle of interest. Witnesses or surveillance information suggested that a red SUV was seen fleeing the area around the time of the incident. This vehicle became a focal point for law enforcement as they sought to identify the person or persons responsible for the shooting.
Despite the initial release of information regarding the suspicious vehicle, no immediate arrests were reported in the days following the discovery. The investigation involved cooperation between local authorities and state troopers as they canvassed the area and sought further information from the public. Monica Keenlance, a resident of Lewistown, Illinois, was remembered by her family as a free spirit, but the circumstances surrounding her violent death at the roadside facility remain the subject of police inquiry.
