CHRISNEY — Human remains found by hunters in far southern Indiana have been identified as those of a local man who was 40 when he vanished in 2018, state police said.
Two hunters who were searching for deer antlers alerted authorities Saturday that they had discovered skeletal remains they believed were human in Spencer County near the small town of Chrisney.
Indiana State Police announced Sunday that anthropologists had identified the remains as those of Donald Westfall Jr., using dental records.
Westfall was last seen on June 27, 2018, in Chrisney, several miles north of the Ohio River and about 80 miles (129 kilometers) west of Louisville, Kentucky.
State Police Sgt. Robbie Lambert said there will be a forensic examination in the coming days on the remains. Investigators said it’s too early to determine a cause of death or if there was foul play involved.
“I commend the hunters who came forward yesterday,” Lambert said Sunday. “I just can’t express how important it is to law enforcement to have the support of our communities.”
-
Indiana Senate rejects redrawing congressional maps
The Indiana Senate is set to convene at 1:30 p.m. Thursday for what could be the final vote on a redistricting bill that has divided lawmakers and sparked heated debate across the state.
Indianapolis DPW plows major trails, protected bike lanes for first time
For the first time, Indianapolis crews are plowing protected bike lanes and major commuter trails during winter — changes that cyclists say have made a “huge improvement” over previous years.
Icy roads cause multiple crashes across Central Indiana
Freezing temperatures and wet roads created dangerous driving conditions across central Indiana Thursday morning, leading to multiple crashes and road closures as black ice formed on roadways.
Two arrested in connection with fatal hit-and-run crash on Indy's west side
A person has died following a crash in the 400 block of N. Lynhurst Drive on Indianapolis' west side Thursday morning.