A small town in western Minnesota is coming to grips with the loss of a beloved member of the community.

Montevideo police say the body of a man who had been stabbed was found Monday morning outside the post office on First Street. Friends have identified the victim as Mitch Twite, a longtime employee of a bar in downtown Montevideo.

On Tuesday, a tribute board was growing with remembrances of Twite from staff and customers alike.

“I can’t even say. It’s just unbelievable,” said Renee Weinand, Twite’s coworker. “He was our friend. I just hope they catch the person who did it.”

Alicia Schutte, another bar employee, says Twite was a fixture at the bar since the early 1990s.

“He spent 364 days a year here,” she said. “He would only leave for his birthday.”

Schutte said Twite taught her everything she knows about tending bar. And now she says the unknown of what happened to him is on everyone’s mind.

“Everyone loved Mitch,” Schutte said.

Police are investigating the death as suspicious and have only said that there is no known threat to the public.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting police with the investigation.

The bar was organizing a vigil for Twite on Tuesday, inviting customers to come back and remember Twite and the many good times they all shared.

“If you spent the whole day grilling ribs, you’d bring down Mitch a plate of ribs,” Schutte said. “Everyone was always showing him love through food for sure.”

Staff at Flinns say they’ve felt the support from all of downtown throughout the day, with different businesses stopping by with plants and flowers.