The Coldwater community is coming to terms with a tragic discovery earlier this week. On Monday evening, two individuals were found deceased within the confines of a camper. The victims have been identified as Larry Wheeler, 54, and Kari Close, 40, both Coldwater residents, as reported by FOX 2 Detroit.
According to CBS News Detroit, police were alerted to the scene on the 400 block of Race Street around 6:19 p.m. after a relative grew concerned when one of the victims did not show up for work that day. Found dead after a report was made at approximately 6:19 p.m., the Coldwater Police Department has not ruled out the possibility that extreme weather conditions played a role, with temperatures on Monday plunging to a low of -3 degrees and climbing only as high as 7 degrees Fahrenheit.
As the investigation continues, preparations for an autopsy are underway to discover the causes of death definitively. Coldwater Police have acknowledged the severity of the cold temperatures, which WOODTV indicates dipped to -1 degrees and peaked at 9 degrees that day. The camper in which both Wheeler and Close took their last breath was parked behind a factory, nestled between Butters Avenue and Jay Street.
In their public statement, the police have appealed to the community: anyone with information that might shed light on this incident is encouraged to contact Officer Jon Conley at 517-278-4525.
