A person of interest is being sought after an elderly woman was found dead in St. Joseph Friday morning.

The St. Joseph Police Dept. said Friday just after 11:30 a.m. Buchanan County EMS responded to 108 E Highland Ave. in reference to an unattended death. There they reportedly found an 81-year-old woman with visible signs of trauma.

“Responding officer’s secured the scene and requested the St. Joseph Police Crime Scene unit for crime scene processing,” said Commander Eric Protzman. “A search warrant was obtained and the Crime Scene Unit remains on scene as of this time collecting evidence.”

Police said the scene is being treated as a homicide and a person of interest has been developed.

Detectives are wanting to speak with 40-year-old Michael Ray Courter. He is described as being 5’ 6” in height, 230 lbs with green eyes and red hair.

Police said the deceased vehicle is missing from the residence and it is believed that Courter is in possession of the vehicle. The vehicle is a 2004 Mitsubishi utility style vehicle, blue in color, Missouri license number UC5N7M.

Anyone with information regarding the vehicle or Courter is asked to call the St. Joseph Missouri Communications Center at 816 271 4777 or the Tips Hotline (816) 238-TIPS.

The St. Joseph School District has released a letter from the Public School Retirement System of Missouri regarding incorrect salary amounts reported to PSRS prior to Dr. Dan Colgan’s retirement.

“He had an opportunity to appeal that decision and chose not to do so,” said Dr. Robert Newhart, SJSD Superintendent. “We are to receive a follow-up letter from PSRS in regards to any further information or amounts. At this date we do not have that follow-up letter.”

The letter states that Dr. Colgan decided not to appeal the decision of the PSRS regarding incorrect salary amounts and the decision of PSRS that Dr. Colgan retired effective Jan. 1, 2006 instead of July 1, 2005.

It goes on to say that a correction of Dr. Colgan’s benefit amount and recovery of over-payments made to Dr .Colgan will begin this month.

Dr. Newhart said the total amount overpaid is estimated at more than $600,000 from PSRS but that he expected the St. Joseph School District to receive less than $20,000.

“That’s just due to our own calculations and math.  Based on the amount of dollars that we paid at the time of actual employment of years Mr. Colgan was employed,” Dr. Newhart said.

Newhart said PSRS has also asked for documents regarding other former employees of the district.

“Many different employees have been looked at,” Newhart said. “Former superintendents or associate superintendents.”

The Savannah R3 School District was placed on a partial lockdown this afternoon after a manhunt was reported to school officials.

Savannah Superintendent David Brax said around 2:50 p.m. that the Savannah Police Department has given the district the go ahead to dismiss school during the regular time. However, Brax said no kids are being allowed to walk home. Regular bus routes and parent pickup are being used to get kids home safely.

Also, all athletic practices at the high school and middle school are being held inside.

The school district received a phone call around 1:30 p.m. from the police department.

“I got a phone call from Chief Dave Vincent who called and told us what was happening and told us to keep the kids inside,” Brax said. “He said there was an armed robbery and suspects were on the loose and a manhunt was ongoing.”

The Savannah School District is calling parents to pick up children who normally walk home. Brax said at Minnie Cline Elementary that could be around 100 kids.

A message will also be sent out to parents via textcaster. Anyone with any concerns is asked to call their school directly.

Former St. Joseph School District Superintendent Dr. Dan Colgan will pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars he’s received during his retirement over the last ten years.

Board Member Kappy Hodges said the board learned Monday night that a settlement has been reached.  Colgan will have to pay back more than $600,000 after discrepancies.  Hodges said she anticipates an exact number being released during a press conference slated for this afternoon with Superintendent Dr. Robert Newhart.

“It’s not going to be that he’ll have to pay it all out at once, because that’s a lot of money and how would anyone do that? But there will be some adjustments in the pay,” Hodges said.

As we previously told you, Colgan’s income was reported as more than $586,000 during his last three years as superintendent. Colgan left in 2005. However, the total salary and insurance benefit as specified in his contract was $343,287. One issue was that an annuity and car allowances were incorrectly included in the income calculation.

The Missouri Public School & Education Employee Retirement Services of Missouri sent a letter to district officials in October.

Hodges said she sees the repayment as a step forward for the school district.

“Especially for the community because they’ve been waiting for accountability in some sort of a legal since for a long time,” Hodges said. “So since something has officially been done that has to do with money is going to be satisfying I think to the community.  I know it is for me.”