A man was found dead in a car in St Joseph Thursday, and authorities are not yet sure about the cause or manner of his death.

But for a few hours, emergency responders thought they might be dealing with a new kind of “chemical suicide.”

That fear prompted a full hazardous materials response to a wooded area near 36th and Beck Road behind the Eagle’s Lodge on the Belt Highway.

 

St Joseph Police Captain Janice Rothganger tells us chemical suicides are increasing in number across the United States.

Rothganger says an individual mixes two or more chemicals together in the same bucket, in an enclosed area, and are quickly overcome by fumes.

“The trouble for responders is that they can also be overcome by the fumes,” Rothganger said.

Crews from a regional haz-mat team suited up for that worst-case scenario, donning protective suits and breathing devices. They worked for hours taking and analyzing samples to make sure a green residue inside the car was not dangerous.

“This is not what we have trained for in the past, as far as a typical chemical suicide,” Rothganger said. “In other words, the types of chemicals we would normally see in a chemical suicide were not present.”

Five and a half hours later, authorities had cleared the scene and removed the body for an autopsy. The victim has not been formally identified, but Captain Rothganger says they expect to have a positive ID sometime Friday.

“At this point we can say that he did not die of natural causes,” Rothganger said. “The investigation will continue, and where that information leads us will help us determine whether this was a homicide, a suicide or an accidental death.”

“Until more information comes in from the coroner, we won’t know that.”

President Barack Obama said Wednesday he supports same-sex marriage, raising the political stakes on an issue over which Americans are evenly split.

The announcement was the first by a sitting president and put Obama squarely at odds with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

On Wednesday during appearances in Colorado and Oklahoma Romney said “I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman.”

Obama said in an interview with ABC News, “At a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.”

But according to ABC, Obama hedged on the subject. The president stressed that this is a personal position, and that he still supports the concept of states deciding the issue on their own.

According to the Christian Science Monitor, the response from Christian church leaders ranged from “giddy” to “deeply saddening” when asked about President Obama’s new support of gay marriage.

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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Authorities in Alaska say a 24-year-old man arrested in connection with the disappearance of another airman initially told Anchorage police his missing friend texted him after he vanished, saying he was sick and being treated.

Charging documents say James Devinn Thomas changed his story after police determined that the cell phone belonging to 22-year-old Clinton Reeves of Raytown, Missouri was inside Thomas’ home after Thomas said he last saw him.

The documents say Thomas eventually said he found Reeves at the home April 19th with an unknown armed man who left with Reeves.

Thomas was arrested late Tuesday at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and is charged with evidence tampering.

Earlier Tuesday, a man’s body was found in suburban Eagle River, just north of Anchorage. Police say the body hasn’t been identified.

Police in St Louis are investigating a bizarre incident, in which a man hijacked a horse-drawn carriage, but was foiled when the horse, named “Harry,” instinctively ran back to its barn.

On Wednesday, police said they had arrested Johnny Medina, 40, on one count each of second-degree robbery, third-degree assault and animal abuse. He is being held on a cash-only $30,000 bail at the St. Louis Justice Center.

Authorities say Medina assaulted the driver with his cane, and later punched and kicked Harry. Witnesses subdued the suspect, and a veterinarian checked out the horse, who did not appear to be seriously hurt.

The St. Louis Carriage Company driver Larry Turner says Medina rushed the carriage and tried to jump on. Turner said he slapped Harry into a gallop but the man caught up and climbed aboard.

“As soon as he got in there, in the calmest voice possible, he said, ‘Don’t look at me, just drive the carriage,'” Turner told The St Louis Post-Dispatch.

A taxi driver who saw what was happening shouted if he should call police, and when Turner said yes, the man stood up and struck him in the head with his cane.

“It was cheap wood and it broke immediately,” Turner said.

Turner was not seriously hurt and was able to jump off the carriage. Henry the horse then high-tailed it back to his barn.

Police and Holzum said a barn worker freed the horse from the carriage, but the suspect got off and started punching and kicking the horse. The man also kicked the barn worker a couple times in the hip, Holzum said. The horse was not hurt.

Turner said the two men who helped him subdued the man with a “choke hold,” knocking him unconscious until police arrived.

Harry, the 10-year-old black Percheron draft horse, got the day off to rest.

(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.)–A St. Louis Cardinals video crew and team mascot Fredbird visited Kirby Farms near Liberal, Mo., May 7 as part of an educational campaign to highlight advancements farmers are making and help answer questions regarding today’s food production. While at the farm, the crew interviewed Missouri Corn Merchandising Council board member Kyle Kirby about the latest trends in corn production.

“Thirty years ago, my dad raised 80 bushels of corn per acre. Now we are producing 150 bushels,” Kirby said. “With today’s farming techniques, it’s possible to have great yields while improving the soil and protecting the environment.”

This is the third year the World Series Champions are partnering with Missouri Farmers Care in a season-long effort that includes radio ads, videos of Cardinals mascot Fredbird on the farm, an AgriMissouri™ gift basket giveaway at every Friday night home game, print advertising and promotional materials. The Kirby family is one of five featured farm families in the 2012 Safe at the Plate campaign.

“We are working hard to educate grocery shoppers and other consumers about farm life and where their food comes from,” says Kirby. “It’s very important for us as farmers to have this collective voice.”

Sponsors of this summer’s Missouri Farmers Care Safe at the Plate educational initiative include the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Beef Industry Council, Midwest Dairy Association, MFA Oil, FCS Financial, Missouri Farm Bureau, Missouri Soybean Association, MFA Incorporated and the St. Louis AgriBusiness Club.

A man convicted of sex crimes in Wichita, Kansas, who escaped from prison in Lansing last month is back in custody. Officials say Gary L. Furthmyer, 59, was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City, Kansas.

Furthmyer escaped from his job assignment at the Lansing Correctional Facility’s steam plant on April 18.

Furthmyer was serving a six- to 25-year sentence on a 1985 Sedgwick County conviction for indecent liberties with a child and aggravated failure to appear.

$1.5 million dollars will help Missouri communities damaged by flooding in new grants announced by Governor Jay Nixon.

Nixon announced Wednesday Community Development Block Grants to assist in public works projects.

In northwest Missouri, Big Lake will receive more than $43,000 to clean out drainage ditches and repair flood damage to the fire station and the water system.Big Lake is also receiving a matching grant from FEMA for more than $62,000.

Craig will receive $150,000 to make repairs to the waste water system and install new sewer pumps. Craig will receive a matching grant from FEMA for more than $41,000.

Communities in six other counties will receive funding. This funding is in addition to $4.6 million already announced for levee districts in five northwest Missouri counties.