Body Found (ID's Marcus Rice) in St.Joseph, Indiana 2/5/08

[wheezer]

Body found in western St. Joseph County; Police suspect foul play
by Dustin Grove (grove@wsbt.com)

Body found at Dorn Street and Kenwood Avenue in St. Joseph County

St. Joseph County Metro Homicide detectives are investigating after a man's body was found on the side of the road near the intersection of Dorn Street and Kenwood Avenue on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. (WSBT photo)
By Tiffany Griffin

Story Created: Feb 5, 2008 at 9:25 AM EST

Story Updated: Feb 5, 2008 at 12:44 PM EST

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — Neighbors are shocked and asking questions after finding a dead body near their St. Joseph County homes Tuesday morning. Police say foul play may be involved.
Multimedia


St. Joseph County Metro Homicide detectives are investigating after the man's body was found on the side of the road near the intersection of Dorn Street and Kenwood Avenue in the western part of the county.

It’s a small neighborhood of about six or seven homes about five miles west of South Bend.

At about 7:30 a.m., a man driving to work noticed the body and called 911.

When officers got there, they contacted Metro Homicide because they do believe foul play may be involved, but at this point, they aren't saying why.

“We wanted to make sure Metro Homicide got out here and began their investigation to determine how the body was placed out here or if the incident occurred here, and we just don’t know, it’s too early right now,” explained Sgt. Bill Redman of the St. Joseph County Police.

One neighbor said he didn’t see or hear anything out of the ordinary Monday night.

“You couldn't see anything out here last night it was so foggy out,” Damon McElvene said.

Other neighbors did say they heard gunshots Monday night, but there's a gun range just up the road.

We still don't know how the man died, but police are calling it suspicious and they believe foul play may have been involved.


http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/15308721.html

[Nut44x4]

This man has been identified as...........
Marcus Rice, 20, of South Bend was found dead near the intersection of Kenwood Avenue and Dorn Street in western St. Joseph County on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. Police are calling his death a homicide. (Photo at link)

Story Updated: Feb 5, 2008 at 7:09 PM EST

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY — A gruesome discovery on the side of the road has left a neighborhood shaken and police looking for a killer. A passerby found the man's body and called 911.

Police haven't identified how the victim was killed, but they are calling it a homicide.

Tuesday evening police identified the victim as 20-year-old Marcus Rice of South Bend. Rice's body was found near the intersection of Kenwood Avenue and Dorn Street in western St. Joseph County.

"This is the country,” neighbor Damon McElvene told WSBT News. “It's quiet out here.”

Kenwood Avenue and Dorn Street in St. Joseph County is far from the picture of excitement — just five houses tucked away from any busy road or highway.

That’s exactly why neighbors were shocked to wake up to police lights, crime scene tape, and a lifeless body on the side of the street.

“It was such a surprise,” another neighbor said. “[I’d] never think to just wake up to this.”

A passerby called 911 when he saw the body: A black man in the snow wearing only pants and a T-shirt. When officers arrived, they called Metro Homicide.

“We wanted to make sure Metro Homicide got out here and began their investigation to determine how the body was placed out here or if the incident occurred here, and we just don’t know, it’s too early right now,” explained Sgt. Bill Redman of the St. Joseph County Police.

Detectives won't say how they think Rice was killed, although one neighbor, who didn't want his face shown, says he heard gunshots close by the night before.

“Then when I ducked down I heard a car drive off,” he said.

But hearing gunshots around that area isn't that uncommon. There's a gun range just up the road.

"You hear gunshots all the time so you really don't pay any attention,” McElvene said.

That’s left neighbors with a gruesome mystery, and St. Joseph County police trying to solve it — the second homicide of 2008.

Detectives were on scene for about five hours Tuesday morning.

We should learn more about what happened to Rice Wednesday once an autopsy is completed. Anyone who may have seen anything is urged to call Crime Stoppers.

Anyone with information on Rice's death should call police at (574) 235-5009.

http://www.wsbt.com/news/local/15308721.html

[packy]

Thank you, Nut. My condolences to his family.