On Wednesday, December 17, 2025, law enforcement officials in Wapello County, Iowa, initiated a homicide investigation following a distress call from a residence in Eldon. Deputies from the Wapello County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 report regarding a shooting at a home located at 310 Des Moines Street. Upon their arrival at the scene, authorities discovered the lifeless body of a 77-year-old male, identified as Gary Keith Stevens, who had suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
Detectives immediately launched an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death, interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence at the scene. The investigation quickly pointed toward a specific person of interest. Two days later, on the night of Friday, December 19, 2025, authorities apprehended 25-year-old Jordan Wade Duncan of Eldon. He was taken into custody at approximately 10:55 p.m. without reported incident.
Following his arrest, Duncan was booked into the Wapello County Jail where he was held without bond. Prosecutors formally charged him with murder in the first degree. Additionally, Duncan faced a charge of possession of a firearm or offensive weapon by a person subject to a protective order, suggesting prior legal restrictions were in place at the time of the shooting.
Gary Keith Stevens was remembered in his obituary as a lifelong resident of the area who had worked for many years as an over-the-road truck driver for Dickey Transportation before his retirement. Born in late 1947 to Robert and Mildred Stevens, he left behind a wife, Judy, whom he had married in 1990, as well as children, step-children, and extended family. Following the tragedy, the family opted not to hold funeral services.
