Body found in PM River

[John Doe Jr]

MASON COUNTY – Deputies from the Mason County Sheriff’s Department are working with the Michigan State Police to identify a body that was recovered from the Pere Marquette River in Logan Township on Friday.

The body that was recovered does not appear to be a recent death according to the Michigan State Police.

An autopsy is scheduled for this weekend to help identify the individual.

No other details were immediately made available per a press release by the Michigan State Police.  More information is scheduled for release over the weekend.

http://fox17online.com/2015/05/08/msp-body-recovered-from-pere-marq...

[XLFD]

Here's a plat map of the general area where it was found with the PM River highlighted.  Even with the dearth of information given, it is likely by the timing and location that some mushroom hunters were looking in the national forest area and made a gruesome discovery.

[Willy]

Not much information given out by the Authorities. I didn't read if there appeared to be foul play, any found weapons,  if the body was a male or female, ect. ect. Either the police are being mum or the news agencies are not revealing all that they know.

[XLFD]

There's news of whom it might be coming from the MCP, a man who was dropped off and never heard of again in that vicinity: 

"...The only person reported missing in that vicinity recently was Leonard Allen Vunck.

The 67-year-old Ludington man went missing October 2014 when he hired a taxi to pick him up from his home at Pineview Apartments and drive him out to Hawley Road about a mile west of Walhalla Road.

The press release from Michigan State Police stated that the body was found in the Pere Marquette River in Logan Township but did not give a specific location. Technically, the river that runs through Logan Township is the Big South Branch of the Pere Marquette River, a distributary of the Pere Marquette River. A portion of that river runs close to the intersection of Hawley and Walhalla roads.

Vunck reportedly suffered from a mental illness, had high blood pressure and mild dementia, according to Michelle Elliott, the manager at Pineview Apartments."

http://www.masoncountypress.com/2015/05/09/law-enforcement-recovers...

[Dave]

It did turn out to be the gentleman that X mentioned in a previous post. Sad situation but at least the family knows what happened now.

Missing Ludington man identified as body found in river.

May 11, 2015

Vunck

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief.

LOGAN TWP. — Leonard Allen Vunck has been identified as the man who was found dead in the river Friday night, according to the Michigan State Police. Vunck, 67, of Ludington, had been missing since October 2014, when he hired a taxi to pick him up from his home at Pineview Apartments and to drive him out to Hawley Road about a mile west of Walhalla Road.

Michigan State Police reported that Vunck had been found in the Pere Marquette River in Logan Township but did not give a specific location. Technically, the river that runs through Logan Township is the Big South Branch of the Pere Marquette River, a distributary of the Pere Marquette River. A portion of that river runs close to the intersection of Hawley and Walhalla roads.

Vunck reportedly suffered from a mental illness, had high blood pressure and mild dementia, according to Michelle Elliott, the manager at Pineview Apartments.

http://www.masoncountypress.com/2015/05/11/missing-ludington-man-id...

[XLFD]

Thanks for the update, sad though it is. 

[Willy]

To bad. I feel for his family

[AQUAMAN]

I remember that incident last fall now. It is truly sad and regretful that this happened. At least his family now has final closure, and a proper funeral for the man. Tip of the hat to Dave for this bulletin in our area.

[Jasper]

Keep in mind the MCSO would not conduct a search out of fear as stated by Sheriff Cole...."he did not want to endanger his deputies."  Private parties searched for this man without avail.  But, yet if a hunter gets lost in the woods the MCSO searches for them.  So, so, sad that a man with medical issues went missing in Fall of 2014, and MCSO refused to assist in locating him and his remains were located in the Spring of 2015 in the PM River.  Every Mason County Citizen should be concerned about this.  Your mother, father, grandmother, grandfather who has a medical condition that wanders off will not be of importance to the Mason County Sheriff's Office.  It appears they like to don their paint, arm themselves with assault guns, and play like they are at war.  This poor man died and no attempt was made by the MCSO.  Tax dollars at work, hey!

[AQUAMAN]

MCSO did NOT respond to search? Thanks for that information Jasper, didn't know that. This is important to note: Sheriff Cole, shame on you! Shame on your overpaid $3 Million dept.! Hope you sleep well at night knowing that you failed your duties to the public, SHAME!!!

[XLFD]

I had occasion to pass by and greet Mr. Vunck on occasion when I used to visit Pineway regularly.  It is unconscionable to believe that his life meant so little to the sheriff's department, who I'm sure were out ticketing speeders and doing other routine tasks while a bunch of people were concerned about his welfare last fall. 

Please remember this when Sheriff Cole comes up for reelection in 2016.

[shinblind]

Maybe Sheriff Cole was busy writing his request to the County for his own Dept Helicopter and couldn't be bothered organizing a search for a missing person. Will the Sheriff Department soon be asking for  flying Drones so at least the Department can have an Aviation Wing like the big boys have?

Didn't Kim Cole want a submarine or something added to his Marine fleet a few years ago to search for terrorist under the Badger?

[Jasper]

Shinblind,

Thanks for the memory-----"Didn't Kim Cole want a submarine or something added to his Marine fleet a few years ago to search for terrorist under the Badger?"

I clearly recall that now that you mention it prior to his becoming the "Sheriff!!"  Amazing---WOW!!!