Many Ready For Answers As O.P.D. Continues 'Suspicious' Investigation
By: Casie Mason
Updated: March 8, 2013
Owensboro Police continue to piece together the circumstances surrounding what they are calling a 'suspicious' death. Forty-four year old Kenneth Yerardi was found dead Thursday inside his business in America's Silver and Gold Exchange. They say he died of a gun shot wound, but many questions about his death remain. When we showed up at Yerardi's business today. Many who knew him were in the area. They say they are confused and ready for answers on what really happened to their friend.
Michael Drake has been washing windows since he was seven. It's a job he enjoys doing especially when he gets to know the person behind the window. "We have good conversations. He tells me about what he wants to do with his life. He just recently opened a new shop somewhere in town, and he wanted me to do his windows there too." Drake says he has washed windows at America's Silver and Gold Exchange for a while, where he became friends with owner Kenneth Yerardi. "I was coming to do his windows yesterday, that's why it was a shock to me. I was coming up and saw all the police out here," says Drake. Owensboro Police have called the incident suspicious, but they are releasing few other details. Many of Yerardi's friends want to know if his death is a suicide, or if someone shot the business owner? We spoke with many of the customers and businesses along here, who say they knew the forty-four year old personally. They say he was not your typical business man, and in fact he was one of the most cautious people they knew. "You weren't allowed to just get in there. You had to push a button to get in. Most of the time he wanted to see what you were selling before he let you in. He was really cautious, so I don't know how someone could have came in, because he took precautions, he really did," Drake says. Friends say they think there is more to this story, and that Yerardi was not alone when the gun went off. "He seems like he was going to build his future. He was going, going places," says friend Samantha Hooper. "He had goals. He just opened a new store. That tells you he had things going for him, and he was trying to go somewhere in life," says Drake.
O.P.D. officials say this is an ongoing investigation and have not been able to release much information as of now.
Michael Drake has been washing windows since he was seven. It's a job he enjoys doing especially when he gets to know the person behind the window. "We have good conversations. He tells me about what he wants to do with his life. He just recently opened a new shop somewhere in town, and he wanted me to do his windows there too." Drake says he has washed windows at America's Silver and Gold Exchange for a while, where he became friends with owner Kenneth Yerardi. "I was coming to do his windows yesterday, that's why it was a shock to me. I was coming up and saw all the police out here," says Drake. Owensboro Police have called the incident suspicious, but they are releasing few other details. Many of Yerardi's friends want to know if his death is a suicide, or if someone shot the business owner? We spoke with many of the customers and businesses along here, who say they knew the forty-four year old personally. They say he was not your typical business man, and in fact he was one of the most cautious people they knew. "You weren't allowed to just get in there. You had to push a button to get in. Most of the time he wanted to see what you were selling before he let you in. He was really cautious, so I don't know how someone could have came in, because he took precautions, he really did," Drake says. Friends say they think there is more to this story, and that Yerardi was not alone when the gun went off. "He seems like he was going to build his future. He was going, going places," says friend Samantha Hooper. "He had goals. He just opened a new store. That tells you he had things going for him, and he was trying to go somewhere in life," says Drake.
O.P.D. officials say this is an ongoing investigation and have not been able to release much information as of now.
