Crews search southern Ind. forest for missing man

LEAVENWORTH, Ind. — Emergency workers and volunteers resumed their search Wednesday of a southern Indiana forest for signs of an avid spelunker who went missing last week.

Wednesday’s search for 25-year-old Kevin Eve would focus on the same general area covered Monday and Tuesday, when crews combed through about 200 acres of wilderness and 15 caves in Harrison-Crawford State Forest, Indiana Conservation Officer Jim Hash said. The Georgetown man’s car was found Monday in a Crawford County section of the forest, which is near the Ohio River town of Leavenworth.

Hash said Eve’s cave exploring gear was found at his home, so he may have been hiking. Hash, who is also a spelunker and who knows Eve, said Eve was unlikely to explore a cave alone. He did say Eve had light sources with him and might have been checking out caves to explore further later.

Hash said searchers found some items belonging to Eve, but nothing personal — mainly Walmart bags with receipts for cigarettes and other items, he said.

Hash said authorities don’t suspect foul play, and Becky Eve said there’s no indication her son wanted to harm himself.

She said police visited her home Wednesday and searched her son’s room for maps that might show where he may have gone.

Becky Eve said it wasn’t unusual for her son to go out exploring without telling anyone. “He’s young, so he’s kind of carefree,” she said.