A grizzly discovery was made along the St. Joseph River in Niles, as the body of a 59-year-old resident was found submerged under the water. FOX 17 Online reported that the man, identified as Michael Witt, was found deceased between the Broadway and Main Street bridges on Sunday, February 15.
According to the Niles Police Department, two individuals walking along the Michigan-Indiana River Valley Trail made the somber find and promptly contacted authorities. This was shared by WSBT. The Niles Fire Department's river rescue team was tasked with removing Witt's body from the river, and identification documents on the body informed investigators of his identity.
The cause of death was not immediately apparent upon the body's recovery. Consequently, no obvious indication of death was reported by law enforcement officers on the scene. For further investigation, an autopsy has been ordered and is scheduled to take place in Kalamazoo, as confirmed by multiple sources, including MLive.
Details surrounding Witt’s unanticipated demise remain scarce, and local authorities are withholding speculation until the autopsy results are available, as is standard procedure in such cases. The Niles Police Department has not suggested foul play, nor has it ruled it out, leaving the cause and circumstances surrounding Witt’s death a mystery for the time being.
