OOLITIC – At approximately 1 p.m. on Friday, February 24th, the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from the 1100 block of Lafayette Avenue reporting the discovery of a deceased male.
The caller notified dispatch that the male had possibly died as a result of suicide.
Responding officers located a male, in his camper along Salt Creek, dead from an apparent gunshot wound. The deceased has been identified as 42-year-old James D. Stewart, of Oolitic.Â
Lawrence County detectives, officers, command personnel, Sheriff Greg Day, and Chief Deputy Tony Seidle responded and began an investigation.
Investigators are working to determine if the gunshot to the victim was intentionally self-inflicted, accidental, or inflicted by another person.
While the Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency, Sheriff Day requested assistance from Indiana State Police crime scene technicians to help process the scene.Â
During the course of the investigation, several items of evidentiary value have been collected and multiple search warrants have been executed.
An autopsy is preliminarily scheduled for Wednesday, March 1. As part of the in-depth investigation, both toxicology and ballistic testing will be completed as well.Â
The investigation is continuing, but it should be stressed that the public is not believed to be in any danger and that this was an isolated incident.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.Â
The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office has been assisted by the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office and the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division.
