A man reported missing from New York state was found in the Peoria area — with the help of regional search and rescue teams, including Knox County’s — but ended up passing away.
Peoria County Sheriff Chris Watkins says the search was Tuesday, after he was contacted by authorities from Green Island, New York, where a 77-year-old man was last seen by family leaving the area in his RV July 13th.
His family last heard from him two days later.
Watkins says the man’s RV was found south of Elmore near the Spoon River and had been there likely since before last week’s severe weather. But Watkins says it was Knox County deputies located the man in some brush near the Spoon River off Cedar Bluff Road in Peoria County.
The man was alive but not alert. He was eventually pronounced dead at the scene after an extended period of time performing CPR.
Search and rescue teams from four different counties helped, but Watkins said he wanted to especially thank Knox County for doing what he called “one of the most difficult searches” due to the terrain.
