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Authorities have identified a person who was found dead along a road in Hastings earlier this month. 

The Hastings Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday said 74-year-old William Eickholt of Denmark Township, just north of Hastings, was 

 on Feb. 2. He had been reported missing the previous day after crews responded to fires on his property, and officials at the time said there were indications Eickholt had been injured.

Authorities said the identification of the remains required a DNA match to one of Eickholt’s family members. The cause and manner of death remain under investigation. 

Law enforcement officials are seeking help from the public in the investigation. They’re asking residents and business owners in areas north of Hastings near 127th Street and Morgan Avenue — between Manning Avenue and Highway 61 on the west, and St. Croix Trail South on the east — to check security cameras for anything suspicious between midnight on Feb. 1, and 9:50 a.m. on Feb. 2.

They’re also asking that anyone with information about Eickholt’s activities in the days leading up to Feb. 1, or who saw a vehicle at or near his property in that time frame, contact Hastings police or the Washington County sheriff. 

And they’re also looking for information about any vehicles seen on the 1300 block of Ravenna Trail in Hastings — where Eickholt’s body was found — between midnight on Feb. 1, and 9:50 a.m. on Feb. 2.

“No detail is too small to report,” the agencies said in a news release.

Acquaintances have said that Eickholt — known as “Ike” — was somewhat of a loner. He had been living in a truck on his property since his house burned in a suspicious fire last year. Eickholt was known to wear women's clothing, and friends have expressed concern that he was vulnerable, and may have been targeted because of his gender expression. 

Authorities have not released further details about the circumstances of Eickholt’s death.

Minnesota News

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Authorities have identified a person who was found dead along a road in Hastings earlier this month. 74-year-old William Eickholt had been reported missing the day before his body was found.

Authorities ID body found alongside road in Hastings

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