JODIE, W.Va. — Fayette County Sheriff Steve Kessler says he hopes an autopsy will be able to answer some questions about the recent death of a Jodie resident.
Kessler said Ira Albert Truman, 51, was last scene alive Friday night. A local resident found his truck in the Rich Creek area of Fayette County Sunday. A search was suspended until Monday morning when Truman’s body was located not far from the vehicle.
Sheriff Kessler said investigators aren’t sure if Truman died in connection with being exposed to the extreme cold temperatures of if he was killed.
“After our initial examination of the scene, it appears possible that this death may be due to exposure to the extreme weather conditions prevalent in this area over the past few days,” said Sheriff Kessler in a statement released Monday evening. “We are not able to rule out the possibility of homicide at this time, however, so this is an open and active investigation until we can conclusively rule out any possibility of foul play in connection with this death. We will hopefully learn more concerning the cause and manner of death following an autopsy conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. We have consulted with the Office of the Fayette County Prosecuting Attorney concerning this investigation and will release additional information as soon as we learn more concerning the cause and manner of death in this case.”