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Bizarre Death of a Teacher Still Remains a Mystery
Was Steven Haataja’s death a suicide or murder? A small town is divided.
Chadron, Nebraska. You may have never heard of it. It’s a small town, approximately 5,000 people, and home to Chadron State College. Overall, an uneventful place. But in 2006, that changed.
Professor Steven Haataja taught mathematics at the college and all who knew him would describe him as impressively intelligent, especially when it came to his subject of expertise. But, in December of that year, Professor Haataja didn’t make it to class.
As this was extremely unusual for him, college officials called the police department to report him missing. Family and friends were notified of his absence, but unfortunately, no one knew where he was.
Authorities checked his home, but Steven wasn’t there. There were no signs of a struggle, and everything was still in its place. It was unlike him not to tell someone where he was going. No one in the town had any idea where he had gone.
Months later, the community would finally get an answer to where their beloved professor had gone, but it would be shrouded in mystery and unearth more unanswered questions.
Steven had moved to Chadron from Spearfish, South Dakota in 2006; only 7 months prior to his death. He wanted to start a new life in a quiet, peaceful town and Chadron fit the bill. The professor was very well-liked. His students and colleagues admired him. He never missed a day of teaching. It was his passion.
That’s why it rang alarms bells on the 5th of December when he didn’t show up for work.
He would remain missing for three months.
When Spring came around the following year, two local ranchers stumbled upon the body of a man. The area surrounding the body was scorched by fire. A mangled corpse was burned and bound to the trunk of the tree. He was tied up around his ankles and torso. The metal buttons and zippers on his clothing had melted from the intense heat of the fire.
The deceased man was eventually identified as Professor Steven Haataja.
The coroner examined his body and discovered that Steven had a high level of…
