The alert was issued Jan. 30 after Hageman drove away from his home and did not return.
His silver 2005 Buick LeSabre was found the following day nearly 80 miles away on U.S. 127 near Overdrive Entertainment south of Celina in Mercer County. The car, about four miles from St. Marys Lake, was found with its gas tank empty, its battery dead and Hageman nowhere in sight.
Hageman’s body was found in the 6200 block of Sebastian Road about 1,100 feet east, southeast of where his car was found on Jan. 31, according to a release from Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey.
A three-day search involving multiple law enforcement agencies and EquuSearch Midwest search and recovery team used ATVs, UTVs, drones, a K-9 team and private airplane to look for Hageman in wooded areas, buildings, open fields, creeks and ditches and wooded areas in addition to checking hotels and hospitals in the surrounding areas, Grey said.
“In the coming days and weeks, after the above searches were completed and unsuccessful, detectives and deputies continued to follow-up on any calls received of possible locations to be checked. … Although this is not the outcome we had hoped for, we are thankful that Mr. Hageman has been located and hope that this will give his family closure,” Grey said.
Hageman’s daughter-in-law Tina Hageman said the family was astonished how close he was found to his car.
“We’re glad the search is over so that he can be reunited with his wife, properly laid to rest,” she said, adding that his wife died about two years ago.
Arrangements are pending.
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