Community Mourns Beloved Farmer Gerard Essner and Officer Henry Franklin After Deadly Shooting Incident

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI — A heartbreaking and deeply unsettling tragedy has shaken rural southeast Missouri, following a series of deadly shootings that unfolded on October 6, leaving two respected community members dead and an entire region grieving. The victims, identified as Gerard Essner, a beloved farmer and Army National Guard veteran, and Officer Henry Franklin, a long-serving and highly regarded member of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, lost their lives in what authorities have described as a senseless and devastating act of violence.

According to officials, the tragic chain of events began when 62-year-old Gerard Essner, of New Hamburg, was reported missing late Sunday evening after he failed to return home from harvesting soybeans on his farm located along County Road 408 in Mississippi County. Concerned family members contacted authorities, prompting a search effort that quickly expanded across the rural area.

As deputies from the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office and officers from surrounding jurisdictions began investigating, the situation took a deadly turn. Reports indicate that during the search for Essner, law enforcement officers encountered gunfire in the area. In the exchange that followed, Officer Henry Franklin, a veteran public safety officer from Sikeston known for his professionalism, integrity, and courage, was fatally shot in the line of duty.

Authorities later located the body of Gerard Essner, confirming the community’s worst fears. Both deaths are now part of a complex investigation involving multiple agencies, including the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC), the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Law enforcement has remained tight-lipped as to the exact circumstances of the shootings, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation, but they have confirmed that a suspect is in custody.

The loss of both men has left deep emotional wounds across the region. Gerard Essner was widely known as a hardworking farmer who devoted his life to his land, his family, and his community. Friends describe him as a man of quiet strength and deep faith, someone who would help anyone in need without hesitation. His service in the Army National Guard earned him the respect of his peers and the gratitude of his neighbors, who saw him as a model of integrity and selflessness.

Officer Henry Franklin’s death has hit especially hard among law enforcement and first responders throughout Missouri. A veteran officer with years of experience, Franklin was known for his steady leadership, his dedication to keeping the community safe, and his unwavering sense of duty. Fellow officers described him as the kind of colleague who led by example — calm under pressure, compassionate in service, and fiercely protective of the people he served.

In the days following the tragedy, an outpouring of grief and support has swept through Sikeston, New Hamburg, and the surrounding areas. Blue ribbons have been tied around trees and light poles in honor of Officer Franklin, while neighbors have placed candles, flowers, and handwritten notes near Essner’s farm. Local churches have opened their doors for prayer services, and community members have come together to support both families through donations, meals, and emotional comfort.

Sikeston Department of Public Safety Chief James McMillen released a statement expressing the department’s heartbreak over the loss of Officer Franklin, calling him “a dedicated public servant and a true hero who gave his life protecting others.” Likewise, the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office expressed its condolences to the Essner family, honoring Gerard’s lifelong commitment to his community and his country.

As investigators work to piece together the events that led to the tragedy, residents of southeast Missouri are left grappling with grief and disbelief. In towns where neighbors are like family, the pain of losing two pillars of the community feels both personal and profound.

Though their lives were cut short by an act of senseless violence, Gerard Essner and Officer Henry Franklin will be remembered not for how they died, but for how they lived — with honor, dedication, and love for their families and their communities.

In the coming days, memorial services will be held to celebrate their lives and their legacies — two men whose quiet courage and unwavering kindness made a lasting impact on all who knew them.