74-year-old man found dead in Hastings identified; investigators ask for public's help
Authorities in Hastings, Minnesota are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a 74-year-old who was found on the side of the road in early February.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner identified the 74-year-old man as William Michael Eickholt of Denmark Township.
Eickholt was found near the 1300 block of Ravenna Trail, just south of Lake Isabelle, on Feb. 2. According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, a missing person alert went out for him the day before, after authorities responded to multiple fires on his property.
Investigators are seeking more information about Eickholt's death, and are asking the public to help.
Residents and business owners near 127th Street and Morgan Avenue between Highway 61 and St. Croix Trail South are asked to check their security cameras for anything suspicious between midnight on Feb. 1 and 9:50 a.m. on Feb. 2. Anyone who witnessed a car near the 1300 block of Ravenna Trail during that time period is also asked to contact authorities.
In addition, anyone with information about Eickholt's activities leading up to Feb. 1 or about the fires at his property can contact Hastings police at 651-480-2300 or the Washington County Sheriff's Office at 651-439-9381.
Mitch Carmody was a friend of Eickholt.
"It's still hitting me. I'm a grief counselor and my friends are saying 'Wow this is really affecting Mitch.' Well, I didn't expect a friend of mine to get murdered like this," Carmody said. "There's just so many unanswered questions."
Don Sherry told WCCO he found Eickholt's body.
"You could tell that he was grabbed by the back of the collar and drug," he said.
Carmody described Eickholt as a "minstrel of the heart."