Illinois: Problems unloading fuel leads to discovery of dead man inside tanker truck

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BUCKLEY, Ill. (WCIA) — Authorities are investigating after a body was found inside a gas tanker Friday morning in Iroquois County.

Coroner Bill Cheatum said two truck drivers discovered the body between 9:30 and 10 a.m. at a gas transfer hub just outside of Buckley, next to Lion’s Den, a closed adult bookstore.

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Cheatum said the drivers claim they had issues unloading gas from the tanker for a couple of days. They opened up the tank on Friday to find the issue. That’s when they discovered the body.

The coroner said the drivers reported they don’t know why the body was in there and they didn’t know about it before opening the tank. Cheatum added, the two drivers reported it to 911 dispatchers, and the Iroquois County Sheriff’s Department, the coroner’s office, and state police crime scene investigators responded. An Urbana Hazmat team was also called in to assist.

Cheatum said the body was intact but didn’t provide any additional information about who it is or if foul play was involved. He also couldn’t say how long the body was in the tank but said those investigating are closing in on that answer.

The coroner said the person found is from southern Illinois. He added an autopsy was conducted Saturday in Champaign County and toxicology reports should be available in anywhere from two to four weeks.

Cheatum also said the Sheriff’s Dept. and Illinois State Police have several good leads in the investigation.

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