Medical examiner identifies Greendale man found in burned up vehicle last October

GREENDALE -- The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office released on Wednesday, Jan. 9 the identity of the 55-year-old Greendale man who was found dead in his charred vehicle in a parking lot in the village last October. The victim is identified as Rod Steele.

The vehicle that Steele was sitting in was found engulfed in flames around 4 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 7. Officials say Steele's remains were burned beyond recognition. He was identified through dental records and a distinctive bracelet that he had been wearing. The medical examiner's report also says Steele's blood alcohol content (BAC) was .246 -- or more than three times the legal limit.

The medical examiner's report says Steele was a bartender at a restaurant in Greendale -- and had closed that restaurant the night before his death.