An unhappy ending late Monday afternoon for a 79-year-old missing rural Kinmundy man when he was found dead in a creek about a mile and a half away from his home. The man’s name has not been released pending notification of relatives.
Kinmundy-Alma Fire Chief Kevin Day reports neighbors first became concerned Sunday night when the man’s brother was unable to reach him on the phone and a neighbor found the man was not at home and his pickup truck missing. Day drove the area roads Sunday night trying to see if the pickup truck had run off the road. He said it was not unusual for the man to take drives around the area.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Department returned to the home Monday morning after the neighbor reported the man had not returned. After the neighbor found his truck off a dirt road, a large search involving upwards of 60 was formed around 11 Monday morning. It included members of the Kinmundy-Alma Fire Department, five members of the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, neighbors, a canine unit, two drones, and a plane piloted by a fireman.
The man was found around 3:30 Monday afternoon less than a quarter-mile from his truck where he had apparently fallen into the creek and perished in the cold.
Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon pronounced him dead at the scene.
Day says it is unclear when the incident occurred, but the last time anyone can remember seeing the man was last Thursday.
