Hartley, Iowa — Law enforcement investigators are trying to piece together what happened at a rural Hartley home on Wednesday (9/3/25).
O’Brien County Sheriff Bruce Devereaux says that shortly after 3:30 p.m., his office received a 911 call reporting a shooting had occurred at a home on Yew Avenue, east of Hartley. The reporting party advised that the victim was approximately 50 years old and had received a gunshot to the head. A Hartley Police officer and the Hartley Ambulance were the first to arrive. An O’Brien County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived a few minutes later.
The first responders found Robert Leroy Peters Jr., of Hartley, with a gunshot wound to the head. The Hartley Ambulance transported Peters to the Spencer Hospital, requesting assistance from Spencer paramedics who met the Hartley Ambulance on Highway 18 between Hartley and Spencer.
Peters was later pronounced dead at the Spencer Hospital. His body has been transported to the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny for an autopsy.
Sheriff Devereaux tells us the shooting investigation is ongoing and there is no threat to the public at this time. He says it is not yet determined if the gunshot wound was self-inflicted.
He says the Hartley Police Department and the Iowa State Patrol assisted with the call.
