storage area

You can try putting something into what's left and turning it counter clockwise (to the left). The latch has two pins that fit into slots. They retract when you turn it.

Back of the latch:


IIRC when I have tried to pry the cover open it usually breaks, but it may have been on a parts car I didn't care about.
You may also be able to go in from the backside and push the pins in
It looks like there is a tiny opening giving access to the pins.


Hmm, be right back, I'll go see if you can depress the pins from the back without turning the knob....

Yepper, you can press the pins in, but you have to press them both, pushing one doesn't make the other go in.
So you can press one pin in while pulling slightly on the cover on that side, then press the other in and it should come open. Hope that makes sense.
Good luck.