Body found at Arkansas wildlife refuge identified as man missing for nearly 3 years

A body found earlier this month at an Arkansas wildlife refuge has been identified as a man who went missing nearly three years ago, authorities said.

Blake Wood’s remains were discovered about 11 a.m. March 22 at Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge near Old River Road on the 5,400-acre property, said Chief Todd Grooms of the Crittenden County sheriff’s office.

The remains were positively identified through Wood’s dental records, Grooms said.

Wood had been missing since August 2014, when a friend reported to authorities that he had gotten out of her vehicle and ran into the woods.

Federal authorities collected Wood’s body last week after a passer-by stumbled upon his remains at the wildlife refuge.

For years, the case had drawn investigators to the federally protected property in the hopes of finding Wood’s body.

“At times we were really close,” Grooms said, adding that investigators searched as many areas as they could.

Unreliable or debunked stories surrounding Wood’s disappearance made search efforts more difficult.

Woods also had a history of disappearing for up to two weeks at time when warrants were issued for his arrest, Grooms said.

A cause of death has not been determined. Wood’s remains have been sent to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock.

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