WABASH CO.—Wabash County Sheriff Joe Keeling has issued a press release about the drowning incident that caught the area’s attention last night:
On July 15 at approximately 5:34 PM, the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office and the Wabash County Dive Team was dispatched to a possible drowning at the Melissa Simpson residence at 5192 Highway 15, west of Mt. Carmel in the Bellmont area.
Upon arriving, the Dive Team did locate the body of 37-year-old Joseph Walter II, of Mt. Carmel, in a farm pond just east of the Simpson residence where he was believed to have been fishing.
The incident is being investigated by the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office, Mt. Carmel Police Department, Wabash County Coroner’s Office and the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigation unit.
An autopsy is planned sometime today by Coroner Larry Hodgson.
There’s been no word of how Walters got into the pond from the spot where he was fishing, who was with him, who reported it, etc.
We’ll try to find out the details and bring them to you as soon as possible, but if we can’t get to it until later in the week, it may have to hold til the print version, which you can read online here via the e-Edition.
