Update: Missing man found under ATV

Sep 13, 2007 07:43 PM

Reporter: Stefanie Silvey
New Media Producer: Nick Storm

Update, Thurs 5:00 pm: A tragic end to a search for a missing Mt. Carmel
man.

Marrs Township Fire Department spent much of Thursday morning searching
the Wabash River with sonar equipment for 47 year old Russell Sutton, but
in
the end, they aren't the ones who found him.

Tony Compton, the Mt. Carmel Chief of Police, says, "The body and the
vehicle was found by a member of a search party."

Volunteers had searched multiple areas by foot, ATV and with search dogs,
but it was one volunteer who made the discovery in an area never searched
where Sutton had hunted in the past.

Chief Compton says, "There's always a sense of relief of course, but now
it's
ongoing and they have to deal with the actual death itself."

It was up the road from where a group was searching the river, about two
miles north of Mt. Carmel.

Larry Hodgson, Wabash County Coroner, says, "We needed some community
help to get him up out of the ravine he was in. There was quite a bit of
underbrush and things like that made it difficult to get back in there to
do what
we needed to do."

Sutton had been missing since Friday night after getting into an argument
with
his wife. Investigators believe the accident occurred before it rained
Saturday.

Joe Keeling, Wabash County Sheriff, says, "We just observed water in the
fenders. The four wheeler was on its' top. There was water in the fenders
so
we would assume it happened shortly after or before the rain."

The coroner says it is too early to tell whether Sutton died instantly from
the
accident or was pinned under the atv alive.

Hodgson says, "That's pretty hard to determine, of course there will be a
forensic pathologist involved in the investigation from this point forward,
he
may be able to give us some sort of idea but usually that is just a
guesstimation. "

Investigators say the fact a volunteer found him, shows the importance of
helping out in times of need.

Colby Rigg, Emergency Management Agency, says, "They don't know
everyone, they can't possibly thank everyone, but they are very grateful,
and
they realize we did what we could."

Preliminary autopsy results are expected sometime Friday. A complete
autopsy could take two to four weeks. The autopsy will be performed in
Evansville.

Update, Thurs 3:30 pm: Russel Sutton was found dead about two miles north
of Mt. Carmel in a dried up creek bed.

A volunteer firefighter on a four-wheeler started to search the area after

talking to Sutton's family. The family says Sutton used to hunt in the area

years ago.

Police says it appears to be an ATV accident. Sutton's body was found
pinned
underneath his four wheeler. An autopsy is set for Friday.