State gets 72 hours in death investigation

The chatter around town in the wake of the newly opened death investigation in Wheeler Hollow has been referring to the death of Jacob Ray Dodson, 22, as a murder. However, as of Monday afternoon's initial hearing for Jerry Carson, Jr., 47, Vallonia, the state could not definitively say a murder or even a homicide had occurred. Officials are currently calling it a death investigation.

In the hearing, Washington County Prosecutor Dustin Houchin requested Judge Larry Medlock give the state a 72-hour continuance to determine if additional charges should be filed. Carson is currently being held for obstruction of justice (a level 6 felony) and failure to report a dead body (a Class A misdemeanor). If the state doesn't find any evidence for additional charges, Carson will be released.

The death investigation began with Dodson being reported missing on Saturday morning, Oct. 20. In the process of the Washington County Sheriff's Department and Indiana State Police's search, they located and spoke with Carson, a known associate of Dodson and believed to be the last person to see Dodson alive. After speaking with Carson, investigators gained sufficient information for a search warrant and as they searched Carson's property, Dodson's body was found in a duffel bag under an abandoned mobile home at 4031 Wheeler Hollow Rd. Carson was arrested Saturday.

An autopsy was performed Sunday, which revealed no signs of trauma to the body and, as of Monday afternoon, the cause of death remains unknown.

Updates on this story will be forthcoming throughout the next few days.