A mystery in the East Metro: A suspicious fire, a missing 74-year-old man, and a body found in a ditch several miles away
The Washington County Sheriff and Hastings Police Department need the public’s help trying to find a vehicle that may have parked near where a man’s body was found in a ditch over the weekend.
The discovery of the man’s body is believed to be connected to a missing man case from a fire on St. Croix Trail in Denmark Township early Saturday morning, according to a Washington County Sheriff’s Office news release.
An autopsy is being conducted to identify the victim and determine the cause of death.
The morning snow covered a bouquet of flowers left outside the crime scene tape that surrounds William Eickholt’s property in Denmark Township.
Over the weekend, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) posted on X, asking for the public’s help in finding Eickholt after a fire.
The Washington County Sheriff’s office said there was a fire that involved Eickholt’s truck early Saturday morning.
Authorities report that evidence was found that has led them to believe the 74-year-old was hurt and missing.
“Too many unanswered questions, something definitely happened,” said friend Mitch Carmody. “I just can’t comprehend.
Officers from Hastings were called to the 1300 block of Raveena Trail before 10 a.m. on Sunday morning after a man’s body was found in a ditch.
Friends of Eickholt are waiting for answers from authorities as to what happened.
“He just wanted you to smile,” is how Carmody recalls Eickholt.
The Washington County Sheriff is asking anyone with information about a vehicle that might have been stopped along the road, near the bridge that crosses the Vermillion River (10th Street) in Hastings, between Saturday morning and Sunday morning to call investigators at 651-439-9381, or the Hastings Police Department at 651-480-2300.