Missouri man set neighbor's house on fire, killed woman as she ran away over property dispute, police say

A property line dispute between neighbors in Missouri dramatically escalated over the weekend when a man killed his neighbor's wife and then himself after lighting a home on fire, according to officials.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said the incident began around 7 a.m. Saturday in Cedar Hill, Missouri when police initially responded to a crash between two trucks at a convenience store. One of the drivers involved in the crash then took off.

"He bent the door back on one of the trucks," Jefferson County Sheriff's Office spokesman Grant Bissell told FOX2. "He actually nearly ran over the driver when he tried to get out of the truck. Some crazy stuff going on.”

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Less than a half-hour later, gunfire was reported at an area home as authorities were still investigating the initial crash, KSDK reported.

The incident happened Saturday morning in Cedar Hill, Missouri. (FOX2)

Officers arrived to find a home ablaze and the female homeowner dead outside. The woman's neighbor -- identified as Jeffrey Bauer -- was then discovered dead across the street from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The sheriff's office told FOX2 that Bauer drove his truck into the home, set the house on fire and then shot and killed Kelly Eberhardt as she tried to run away.

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"Our hearts go out to the loved ones of the victim in this senseless crime," the sheriff's office said in a statement to FOX2. "While the victim and her husband were in an on-going dispute with the suspect, it was a civil matter and not criminal."

There had been no report of a dispute between the neighbors until May 28 of this year, according to police.

"A deputy responded to that case and took a report, even though he was not obligated to do so and was not asked to do so by the victim, police said. "The same action was taken on June 19 when deputies responded twice that day to similar, civil complaints and referred the victim to the civil court system."

Bill Eberhardt told FOX2 that he never had exchange any words with his neighbor, even though he said Bauer drove over his yard four times, leaving ruts in his yard.

“This piece of dirt here is mine,” he told FOX2. “That man tore it up 4 different times. I fixed it. I didn’t retaliate.  All I did was fix this piece of dirt.”

A friend of Bauer told FOX2 the dispute started after Bauer wanted to widen a road and the neighbors objected.

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Bauer was not known to police prior to the incidents, according to police.

Kelly Eberhardt is survived by her husband and son, according to a GoFundMe page set up to help with funeral costs.

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