BOWLING GREEN, Mo. – There’s a deepening mystery about a Pike County, Missouri, death and alleged cover-up by law enforcement, which FOX 2 News has covered for months.

It’s now taken a dramatic turn, with the sheriff at the center of controversy refusing to answer questions under oath.

It involves the death of Nathaniel Mueller, whose family continues searching for answers. The Bowling Green police chief has alleged a cover up by the sheriff’s department.

On March 14, 2025, he alleged, “It is clear that the Pike County Sheriff’s office knew the location of Mueller’s body for a month prior to this discovery of his remains.”

Mueller disappeared last December and was reportedly found dead in a pond on Feb. 28.

“Everything revolving around Nathanial. We are not going to stop,” Ashley Ashby, Nathanel’s godmother, said.

Ashby hoped to finally get answers in a recent deposition of Pike County Sheriff Stephen Korte.

“I wanna take the Fifth on this one,” Korte said, repeatedly declining to answer questions about Mueller.

“I’m going to take the Fifth on this, also,” he said to another question.

The sheriff invoked his right even for basic questions posed by trial attorney Mark Pedroli, who asked at one point, “Where was Nathaniel Mueller’s body found?” Sheriff Korte again took the Fifth.

Pedroli asked, “Was Nathaniel Mueller murdered to your knowledge?” The sheriff looked at his attorney, then answers, “I’ll take the Fifth.”

“I’m very disturbed,” Ashby said after hearing about the sheriff’s responses.

“We definitely don’t understand why it’s taken so long to get answers.”

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating, while the sheriff’s major, who’s accused in the cover up, remains on duty – one of the few questions Sheriff Korte would answer.

Pedroli asked, “Is [the major] under investigation by you?”

“No,” the Sheriff answered.

Bowling Green’s police chief outed that major, without mentioning him by name, in a March news conference. The chief’s attorney, Chris Lozano, was there and added, “I know there are going to be repercussions. We are ready for them.”

Lozano also responded to this latest development, saying, “The Fifth Amendment is a cornerstone of the judicial system, but when a non-defendant elected official takes the Fifth, it should give us all pause.”

FOX 2 followed up with Sheriff Korte, who said it would be irresponsible to make any comments, even in a deposition about a case being investigated by highway patrol.