Man sought by Jefferson County deputies found dead, authorities say

A Jefferson County sheriff's office vehicle is shown in this August 2019 photo.
A Jefferson County sheriff's office vehicle is shown in this August 2019 photo.

A man who was sought by authorities on Thursday in the Swan Lake area was found dead on 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 a wooded area off of Swan Lake Recreation Road in the Swan Lake Community, according to a news release from the agency.

On Friday, at about 5:40 p.m, Jefferson County deputies were dispatched to the 8800 block of Swan Lake Recreation Road, where Ikner's body was found in a wooded area. Ikner lived in the area, authorities said.

On the previous evening, deputies encountered Ikner at his residence while investigating a runaway minor, the release states. The minor was found at Ikner's residence and was taken into protective custody. Authorities said Ikner ran into the woods. Deputies and investigators searched for Ikner but weren’t immediately able to find him.

The Jefferson County coroner's office responded to the scene where Ikner’s body was later discovered 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 Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to determine the cause and manner of his death.

The investigation is ongoing and authorities asked anyone with information concerning the circumstances surrounding the death to call the Criminal Investigation Division of the Jefferson County sheriff's office at (870) 541-5496 or (870) 541-5300. Information can also be provided via email at tips@jeffcoso.org.

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