(FREMONT) – Saturday afternoon detectives from the Indiana State Police Fort Wayne Post were called to investigate a death at the Crane Marsh public access parking lot, which is located in the Marsh Lake Wetlands State Fish and Wildlife Area on County Road 100E north of Feather Valley Road, Steuben County.
An Indiana Conservation Officer found a blue Volkswagen passenger car parked at the public access parking area shortly before 1:00 p.m. The Officer approached the parked car to speak with the driver. The driver had a gun in his hand and had suffered an apparent gunshot wound to the head, and was likely deceased. The officer immediately called for assistance and medical response, as well as the Steuben County Coroner.
The adult male driver, later identified as 46-year-old Roswald Pall Adkins, of Flossmoor, Illinois, was confirmed dead at the scene by the Steuben County Coroner.
An Indiana State Police Crime Scene Technician confirmed that Adkins injury was the result of a self-inflicted single gunshot wound to the head.
The Steuben County Coroner determined that no autopsy would be performed, and ruled the death a suicide.
While attempting to locate the next of kin for the death notification, Detectives learned through communication with the Flossmoor Police Department (Illinois) that an alert bulletin was issued in search of Adkins. Adkins was wanted for questioning in an alleged child molestation investigation and was believed to be in possession of a 9mm handgun.
Notification to immediate family members in Illinois was made with the assistance of the Flossmoor Police Department.
ISP Detective Jake Quick was assisted in this investigation by ISP CSI Sergeant Mike Biggs and Sergeant Andy Smith, Indiana Department of Natural Resources Officer Todd Lang, Steuben County EMS, the Steuben County Coroner’s Office, and Bill’s Towing Service.
