Hastings' man found dead could have been targeted, friends say
HASTINGS, Minn. (FOX 9) - This week in Hastings, some locals are feeling devastated after the disappearance of a well-known person in the area.
Law enforcement search
What we know:
The body believed to be of William Eickholt was recovered over the weekend, and friends tell FOX 9 that they fear he may have been killed.
"He was such a wonderful presence in this community and that’s why it’s such a shock," Eickholt’s friend Mitch Carmody told FOX 9.
"We were surprised," local Bex Bender said. "We were shocked it happened."
The 74-year-old was reported missing on Saturday, after first responders discovered a suspicious car fire at a Denmark Township property, with evidence that Eickholt had been injured.
Hours later, on Sunday morning, a man’s body was found in a nearby ditch in Hastings.
Law enforcement says the death is suspicious.
"Whoever did this went right to the first ditch in Hastings they could find and dropped him off on the corner," Carmody told FOX 9. "Everything was burnt. It was just something nefarious [that] happened."
Potential motive
Big picture view:
Around Hastings, some people believe he was targeted because he was known to wear women’s clothing.
On Tuesday, Hastings’ police chief said his agency is waiting for the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office to confirm the man’s identity and cause of death.
However, in a separate press release, the Washington County Sheriff Office said it believes the incidents are connected.
"People want answers, we want to know what happened," Bender said. "We want justice for a life that was taken. Their life was full of value. Every person in our community is valued."
People in Hastings plan to start a memorial for Eickholt by painting rocks with affirming messages in his honor.
Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed a vehicle stopped on the side of the road at the 1300 block of Raveena Trail between 2 a.m. on Feb. 1, and 9:50 a.m. on Feb. 2, to contact the Hastings Police Department at 651-480-2300 or the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 651-439-9381.