Man found murdered, wrapped in plastic with gun shot wound to head For decades, the disappearance of Ira Free Kemp remained a painful mystery for his family and the small community of Odon, Indiana. A 52-year-old male, Kemp was a farmer, a musician who enjoyed playing the guitar, and a charter member of the Bethel Mennonite Church. He was last seen on or around January 25, 1981, leaving behind a son, a daughter, and a life rooted in his Daviess County home.
For thirty-four years, his whereabouts were unknown, a lingering question mark in the lives of those who knew him.
The silence was broken on April 7, 2015, when human remains were discovered in Odon. It would take another year of meticulous investigation and advanced DNA testing by the University of Northern Texas to bring a name to the long-unidentified. In June of 2016, the Daviess County Sheriff's Office confirmed the remains were those of Ira Free Kemp, finally offering his family a measure of closure after decades of uncertainty. A graveside service was held on July 11, 2016, at the Bethel Mennonite Cemetery, where he was laid to rest.
With the positive identification of his remains, the focus of the investigation shifted from a missing person case to a homicide. The Daviess County Sheriff's Office, along with the Odon Police Department, Indiana State Police, and other agencies, began to piece together the events leading to Kemp's death. Despite the passage of time, law enforcement officials have continued their work on this cold case. However, to date, there have been no public announcements regarding any arrests made or suspects identified in the murder of Ira Free Kemp. The circumstances surrounding his death and who may be responsible remain an open and active investigation.
