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PARKVILLE, Mo. – A warrant has been issued for a man charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection to the death of a grocery store manager in Parkville.

Toney Silvey was a store manager at the McKeever’s Price Chopper on 45 Highway. On Nov. 16, he was called to assist a loss prevention officer at the store who spotted a man and woman shoplifting.

As Silvey and the officer were escorting the male suspect, later identified as 33-year-old Joshua Stucky, to the loss prevention office, he told them, “you have your stuff back” and pushed Silvey to the ground before fleeing, according to court documents.

Silvey hit the back of his head when he hit the ground. The 64-year-old died on Dec. 2. An autopsy revealed he suffered a skull fracture, hemorrhaging and a brain bleed, and died due to the assault at the store.

Peggy Vanhamme had an enduring relationship with Silvey, who was her ex-husband and friend of 21 years.

“You never really broke up with him completely,” she said with laughter. “It was always like you were always friends.”

Vanhamme said Silvey was one of the most humble and caring people she knew.

“One co-worker was a young guy who couldn’t get a car,” she recalled. “[Tony] cosigned for him so he could get to work. That’s just the kind of man he was.”

Vanhamme and Silvey talked on the phone regularly. She said Silvey, who worked in the grocery business for 40 plus years, hinted at early retirement during one of their last conversations.

“He loved his job. He was always there, never missing a day of work, but he wanted to retire early, didn’t want to go through another winter here because he was getting worn out,” she said. “He wanted to retire early on St. Pete’s Beach in Florida.”

Vanhamme said she will miss her friend, who often was the life of the party – a free spirit she described with the best humor and wit.

“He was an awesome, awesome man and he did so many things for people and he’ll be so missed by everybody,” she said.

As of Monday evening, Stucky was being held at jail in Franklin County on unrelated charges. It’s unclear when he will be moved to Platte County, where a judge issued a warrant for his arrest for involuntary manslaughter.

The total amount of the items stolen was $194.58. FOX4’s calls to the corporate office of McKeever’s Price Chopper were not returned as of Monday evening.