November 4, 2026
Featured image: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department shoulder patch. Photo: FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. The image is an agency insignia, not a photograph of the Imperial fire scene.
IMPERIAL, Mo. — The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has identified a 66-year-old man found dead at the scene of a house fire Wednesday morning in Imperial. Investigators say preliminary findings suggest his death was not a homicide.
Authorities identified the man as Richard D. Rodgers, 66, of the 1700 block of Woodwind Drive. Rodgers was the only resident of the home where he was found, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
In an update to media Wednesday afternoon, Grant Bissell, public safety information coordinator for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said investigators believe Rodgers died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound rather than a homicide.
The finding remains preliminary. The Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is in its early stages and has not announced a final determination of the manner of death.
Detectives and crime scene investigators responded to the Woodwind Drive property, along with the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office, according to initial reporting by First Alert 4.
The cause of the house fire has not been publicly established, and officials have not said whether the fire was connected to the circumstances surrounding Rodgers’ death.
Bissell said both the death investigation and the fire investigation remain ongoing. The Sheriff’s Office plans to release additional information when it becomes available and is appropriate to disclose.
VOTP News STL will continue to monitor the investigations and report further verified developments.
Sources: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office updates to media issued November 4, 2026, by Grant Bissell; First Alert 4 initial reporting; FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin image source.
