A man who was sought by authorities on Thursday in the Swan Lake area was found dead Friday, according to the Jefferson County sheriff's office.
The sheriff's office is conducting an investigation after a body, identified as Joshua Ikner, 19, was found in woods off Swan Lake Recreation Road, the agency said in a news release.
Jefferson County deputies were dispatched Friday evening to the 8800 block of Swan Lake Recreation Road.
On the previous evening, deputies had encountered Ikner at his residence during an investigation regarding a runaway, the release states. The young person was found at Ikner's residence and was taken into protective custody. Authorities said Ikner ran into the woods. Deputies and investigators searched, but didn't find him immediately.
The county coroner's office responded to the scene when Ikner's body was found and pronounced him dead.
"The cause or manner of death was not immediately apparent and remains under investigation by our Criminal Investigation Division (CID) as a death investigation," Maj. Gary McClain, the sheriff's office operations commander, said in the release.
Ikner's body will be sent to the state Crime Laboratory.
The investigation is ongoing and authorities asked anyone with information concerning the circumstances surrounding the death to call investigators at (870) 541-5496 or (870) 541-5300. Information also can be provided by email at tips@jeffcoso.org.