Body found in brush off Deep Lake Road near Route 173 identified as Lake Villa man
Foul play not suspected, cause pending toxicology studies
A man whose body was found in the brush early Wednesday off Deep Lake Road just north of Route 173 has been identified as William Webster, 46, of Lake Villa.
Antioch police Thursday acknowledged officers reported to the scene on two separate occasions several hours before that report was received at 6 a.m. but did not find anyone and their paths never crossed.
Webster did not sustain any significant injuries but a cause of death was not given Thursday by the Lake County Coroner’s Office. Authorities Wednesday said there were no signs of foul play and that the death was not being investigated as a suicide.
Final autopsy results are pending toxicology studies, which could take four to six weeks, according to the coroner’s office. No other details were released.
Antioch police said Thursday Webster may have experienced a medical event.
Police responding to a report just after 6 a.m. Wednesday of a person lying in a ditch in the area found Webster’s body in the brush about 40 feet away from a motorcycle parked on the shoulder on the east side of Deep Lake Road.
Police initially were called to the area at 9:52 p.m. Tuesday of a man standing on the side of the road dressed all in black, said Geoffrey Guttschow, Antioch police chief and interim village administrator.
A motorcycle was found on the shoulder with its hazard lights on, he said. The motorcycle had been leaking oil and the seat had been removed, Guttschow said. Authorities Wednesday said it appeared the motorcycle had some kind of mechanical failure.
Officers checked the area and a nearby parking lot but didn’t see anyone, he said.
“From the officers’ perspective, it was just a broken down bike on the side of the road,” Guttschow said.
The intersection is adjacent to a Walmart store and Webster was seen on video there about 9:30 p.m., he added.
Police checked the area again at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday and the hazard lights on the motorcycle were off. It was determined someone had been working on the motorcycle but again no one was found, Guttschow said.
“We weren’t there at the same time he was. There was nothing to indicate the officer should be concerned for the individual’s well-being,” Guttschow said.
He said Deep Lake Road at that point is elevated compared to a marshy area where the body was found.
“He was dressed from head to toe in black — no artificial lighting in that area, pitch black. I’m not surprised nobody saw the guy” before morning, Guttschow said.
“In my opinion, they did everything they should have,” he said of the officers.
Police and the coroner’s office continue to investigate. Anyone who was in the area and thinks they may have additional information, should call Antioch police at (847) 270-9111 or email crime@antioch.il.gov.