The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

December 9, 2008

Sheriff waits to ID burn victim

By Dan Nienaber

GAYLORD — A news conference to identify the person burned in car near Green Isle early Saturday morning was canceled Monday because an autopsy hadn’t been completed.

“I’m 95 percent sure of who it is but, until the autopsy report is done, I can’t release that,” said Sibley County Sheriff Bruce Ponath.

Ponath did say the body found belonged to an adult male, but he wasn’t releasing the general age of the man he suspects was found or where that man is likely from.

The body was found in a burning vehicle in a wooded area off Sibley County Road 61, a gravel road that intersects with Highway 25 just north of Green Isle. The wooded area is between a mile and two miles east of the Highway 25 intersection in Washington Township.

Ponath said a neighbor called to report the burning vehicle, which was heavily engulfed in flames when a deputy arrived with the Green Isle Fire Department. After the fire was put out, a badly burned body was found inside.

The body was taken to the Anoka County Medical Center of an autopsy Saturday and Ponath said he had hoped to be able to positively identify the body Monday. He canceled a 4 p.m. news conference, saying the autopsy report had not been completed.

The sheriff would not say if he suspects foul play, adding he could say more about that once the autopsy report is done. Ponath did say all car fires are treated as suspicious fires. It’s not uncommon for an interior vehicle fire to burn hot because of the type of materials inside a passenger compartment, he said.

People living in Green Isle, which has a posted population of 334, were talking about the incident at gathering spots Monday, but said they knew little about what happened. Three people at Burgie’s Grey Fox Lounge said volunteer firefighters who responded have been told not to comment about the fire.

Stephen Jaus, who lives in the area of the fire, said it happened in a wooded area near the intersection of Sibley County Road 61 and 351st Avenue. He did not know who owned the property and several people living closer to that area did not return telephone calls Monday.

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