In the early morning hours of November 17, 2016, the quiet of a Mason City, Iowa neighborhood was shattered by violence that left two people dead. One of the victims was Caleb J. Christensen, a 37-year-old Caucasian male. Police were dispatched to a residence in the northeastern part of the city around 2:15 a.m. following a report of a shooting. Inside the home, they discovered the bodies of Christensen and 54-year-old Melinda Kavars.
An autopsy would later reveal that Christensen died
from multiple "sharp-force" injuries. Kavars had been fatally shot. The investigation into the double homicide quickly led to a suspect. Within fifteen minutes of the initial call, police apprehended 30-year-old Peter Veal of Lake Mills after a brief foot chase approximately half a mile from the crime scene. Veal was subsequently charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Following the tragic event, Caleb Christensen was remembered as a kind-hearted man who had the ability to make a friend out of anyone he met and was always willing to lend a hand to someone in need. He was a 1998 graduate of Mason City High School where he played hockey. Friends and family recalled his love for the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing, and his great affection for his dogs. He was a father to one daughter.
Peter Veal was later tried and convicted for the murders of both Caleb Christensen and Melinda Kavars. In September 2017, he was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison, ensuring he would spend the rest of his life behind bars for the brutal slayings.
