Two persons of interest were in custody in Hamilton County, Ohio, following an investigation into the death of a Lake County man found in the Chustak Public Fishing Area, on Tuesday, according to a Facebook post by the Chesterton police Department.
According to the post, the deceased was identified as Lake County resident Derek William Hartz, whose body was found at approximately 10:30 a.m. Tuesday off a small trail in the 76-acre fishing area, the Porter County Sheriff’s Police said.
The Chesterton Police Department said “Investigators succeeded in identifying Hartz—whose body had sustained unspecified trauma—from an in-house database photograph, which showed the same tattoo on his chest as the one on the victim, the PCSP said. At that time, the next of kin was notified.”
A Virginia identification card was recovered from the scene but Hartz’s cell phone and vehicle were missing, the Chesterton Police reported. The vehicle was located in Ohio and two male subjects taken into custody, after investigators deployed “state-of-the-art technology” in conjunction with local Ohio law enforcement.
The PCSP said this was an isolated incident and there is no other concern to the public.
The two male subjects are being held in connection with vehicle theft and the investigation is ongoing.
Detectives would like to speak with anyone who was in the area of the Chustak Public Fishing Area between 4 and 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 13. Call the PCSP at 219-477-3140.