UPDATE: Death Investigation Save Email Print

Quinton Morris

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UPDATED Wednesday, October 22, 2008 --- 1:25 p.m.

According to the Dane County Sheriff's Office:

Madison, WI. October 22, 2008 – The Dane County Sheriff’s Office reports that the skeletal remains found in Lake Kegonsa State Park on October 13th have been identified as:

Quinton Armond Morris
Black Male, Age 24
Naperville, IL

Morris was identified by fingerprint comparisons conducted at the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory. Although Morris’s body was mostly skeletonized, sufficient tissue was recovered at autopsy to make the identification. A confirmatory identification will be made by dental record comparisons.

Sheriff's department spokeswoman Elise Schaffer says his family last heard from him about six weeks ago when he was on his way to Canada. He had not been reported missing.

She says detectives are still investigating whether or not foul play was involved.

Toxicology tests could take weeks and Schaffer says it's possible officials will never know how he died.

Detectives with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Dane County Coroner’s Office continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mr. Morris’s death. Anyone who had contact with him or may have information relating to this investigation is asked to call the Dane County tip line at (608) 284-6900.

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UPDATED Wednesday, October 15, 2008 --- 5:25 p.m.

From Coroner John Stanley:

The Dane County Coroner’s Office has completed an initial examination of the human remains recovered from Lake Kegonsa State Park late yesterday afternoon. Preliminary findings still indicate that the skeletal remains are that of a:

Non-Caucasian Male
30-40 years of age
Curly Short Black Hair
Several Dental Fillings

Several additional forensic studies will be conducted in an effort to establish an identity for the remains, and determine the manner and cause of death. Results of those examinations probably won’t be available for several weeks.

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UPDATED Tuesday, October 14, 2008 --- 5:10 p.m.

New information on the body found in Lake Kegonsa State Park.

The Dane County Coroner says they believe the body is a non-Caucasian male, probably in his 30's or 40's.

The body was discovered in the woods late Monday afternoon by a DNR volunteer who was working on a forest restoration project.

It was found about 150 feet off the popular White Oak nature trail, and just a couple hundred yards away from the campground.

The coroner says the body has been there at least a couple months, but not more than a year.

It's too soon to determine a cause of death or whether the person died at the scene of if their body was placed there.

The coroner says they found some possessions with the body, and the body was still clothed. But they may need to use DNA or dental records to make a positive I-D.

NBC15's Zac Schultz spoke with a park ranger about how this body could sit there all summer without being discovered, when 200,000 visitors use the park each year. She said the area where the body was found is hilly with thick brush, and in the summer there are a lot of mosquitoes, meaning no one was likely to go off trail and discover the body.

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UPDATED Tuesday, October 14, 2008 --- 2:45 p.m.

According to the Dane County Sheriff, there will be no positive identification for months. They think the body has been there since mid-summer. There may be a tentative identification - gender and age - in the coming days. It is still unclear whether the cause of death was natural causes.

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Posted Monday, October 13, 2008 --- 11:00 p.m.

From the Dane County Sheriff's Office:

At 5:52 p.m. the Dane County Sheriff’s Office responded to Lake Kegonsa State Park after receiving a report of a body found in a wooded area of the park. A State Park Ranger was conducting prairie restoration when he discovered an unidentified body in a heavily wooded area.

Upon arriving on scene, Sheriff’s Deputies determined the person was deceased and was in an undetermined stage of decomposition. The park was closed and secured as a crime scene.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the death with the assistance of the Dane County Coroners Office. Additional information will be released when it becomes available.

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Posted Monday, October 13, 2008 --- 6:55 p.m.

Dane County authorities are investigating a dead body found in Lake Kegonsa State Park.

Authorities tell NBC15 News a prairie restoration worker found the body of a male or female in the park and called police just before 6:00 p.m. Monday.

The entire park is closed down and roped off while investigators search the scene.

We will continue to follow this breaking news story and bring you developments on NBC15.com.

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