Michael Joseph Sanders was arrested this afternoon and charged with the murder of Skyler Naugle, who had been missing for over a week. 

The body found in Little York hadn’t yet been identified as Naugle’s, despite the Indiana State Police report. 

Police are still waiting on DNA and dental records to make a positive identification because the autopsy was inconclusive. 

Sgt. Jerry Goodin issues a statement to clarify.

“In the previous release, I stated Michael Joseph Sanders was arrested for the Murder of Skyler Naugle. Skyler Naugle has not been 100% positively identified by the coroner’s standards.”

Goodin said for investigative and probable cause standards the body located in the woods near Little York was identified as Skyler Naugle.

“There is not a missing person’s case being worked at this point,” he stated in a press release. “If for some unknown reason the identification changes, it will be corrected. However, it does not matter if the found body turns out to be someone different, Sanders would still have been arrested for Murder.”

Around 12:30 pm today, a report of a stolen vehicle, a Gold, 2007 Ford Focus, was made on East New Cut Road near the location where Sanders was last seen on Monday.

A hunt for the stolen vehicle resulted in Michael Joseph Sanders being stopped on Boatman Road and York Road in Austin, (near Interstate #65), by an Austin City Police Officer.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department issued the information regarding the stolen vehicle. Deputy Ryan Larrimore is working the stolen vehicle investigation.  

While the hunt for the stolen vehicle was taking place, Washington County Prosecutor, Dustin Houchin, was in the process of seeking an arrest warrant on Sanders in the Washington County Circuit Court for Murder.

Indiana State Police Detectives had briefed the prosecutor earlier after obtaining enough information during their investigation to seek an arrest warrant.  

Sanders was taken into custody by Austin City Police Officers and detectives from the Indiana State Police and is incarcerated at the Washington County Jail.

This investigation is continuing.

A 34-year-old Washington County man is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Skyler Naugle, who was reported missing over the weekend. 

A badly decomposed body was discovered near a house where Michael Sanders was living at 7707 East New Cut Road in Little York. 

Sanders has been charged with Naugle’s murder. Police say other charges could be filed as well. 

The body was autopsied Wednesday morning but DNA testing and dental records were sought to make a positive identification.

Today around 12:30 pm today, a report of a stolen vehicle, (gold, 2007 Ford Focus), was made on East New Cut Road near the location where Sanders was last seen on Monday.

A hunt for the stolen vehicle resulted in Sanders being stopped on Boatman Road and York Road in Austin, (near Interstate #65), by an Austin City Police Officer.

While the hunt for the stolen vehicle was taking place, the Washington County Prosecutor, Dustin Houchin, was in the process of seeking an arrest warrant on Sanders in the Washington County Circuit Court for Murder.

Indiana State Police Detectives had briefed the prosecutor earlier after obtaining enough information during their investigation to seek an arrest warrant.  

Sanders was taken into custody by Austin City Police Officers and detectives from the Indiana State Police and is incarcerated at the Washington County Jail.

This investigation is continuing.

Police are now searching for a person of interest in the case of a dead body found with a gunshot wound to the head in a woods near Little York this week. 

Michael Joseph Sanders is being sought by police for questioning. He hasn’t been seen since the body was recovered on Monday.

Sanders is a white male, 34 years of age, 5’-9” tall, 190 pounds, black hair and blue eyes.

Sanders lives at the address where a decomposed body was located this past Monday at 7707 East New Cut Road Accin Little York.

His social media page said he was a former employee of Jeff Boat in Jeffersonville, IN. 

Sanders was last seen this past Monday, July 23rd, at around 3:00 pm, at the residence where he lives.

According to the Indiana State Police, Sanders is a person of interest because he lives at the residence and he has not been seen or heard from since the day the body was located. It is unknown where he could be.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Michael Joseph Sanders or sees Michael Joseph Sanders should dial 911. Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police at 1-800-872-6743 or the Washington County Sheriff’s Department at 812-883-5999. 

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department requested assistance from detectives from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg in searching for a missing person around the Little York area of Washington County. 

As part of their search for Skyler Naugle, 35, from Washington County, officers visited 7707 East New Cut Road in Little York.

As officers began speaking with an occupant of the property they gained enough information to believe Naugle had been to the property before he went missing.

At this point they obtained permission to search the property from an owner and they also obtained a search warrant.

The located a body in the nearby woods but so far have been unable to confirm if it is the remains of Naugle.

The body was in such a state of decomposition, police were not able to make a positive identification or verify that the body was that of Naugle, who had been reported missing on July 21 and hadn’t been seen since the week before.

Michael Joseph Sanders was last seen this past Monday, July 23rd, at around 3:00 pm, at the residence where he lives.

He is a person of interest because he lives at the residence and he has not been seen or heard from since the day the body was located. It is unknown where he could be.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Michael Joseph Sanders or sees Michael Joseph Sanders should dial 911.

Earlier today, police conducted an autopsy on the body located in the woods at 7707 East New Cut Road in Little York.

The autopsy was unable to make a positive identification of the body. DNA and dental records will now be used in an attempt to positively identify the found body.

The autopsy did reveal the preliminary cause of death as a gunshot wound to the head.

Toxicology test results are pending.

It is unknown how long it will take to get a positive identification of the body.

With the findings of the autopsy this case has now been officially classified as a Murder Case. 

Monday morning, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department requested assistance from detectives from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg in searching for a missing person around the Little York area of Washington County. 

As part of their search for Skyler Naugle, 35, from Washington County, officers visited 7707 East New Cut Road in Little York.

While searching the property officers located a body in a wooded area near the home. The body was not recognizable enough to prove an identity and an autopsy is planned for Wednesday in Washington County, to determine an identity and cause of death. 

ISP Sgt. Jerry Googin said there is a good possibility that the found body is that of  Naugle however until positive identification is made nothing can be determined. 

Naugle was reported missing this past Saturday, July 21st by family members and was last seen on Monday July 16th in the early morning hours in the Little York area of Washington County. 

The Washington County Coroner’s Office and Prosecutor’s Office are assisting in the investigation. The Pekin Town Marshall and Salem Police Department have also assisted. 

According to the Indiana State Police, after the findings of an autopsy earlier today, the case of a missing person from Washington County has now been officially classified as a Murder Case. 

Sgt. Jerry Goodin said the body found earlier this week near Little York had been shot in the head and police were not able to make a positive identification. 

When police found the body, it was in such a state of decomposition, police could not identify the body. 

As a result, police are relying on DNA and dental records in an attempt to positively identify the found body. 

“We are seeking an expedited DNA analysis,” said Washington County Chief Deputy Sheriff Brent Miller. “It just means they are going to speed the process up. That’s out of my hands. That’s something the state police are dealing with.”

The autopsy was performed earlier today in Washington County. 

Toxicology test results are pending, which would reveal if there were any drugs or alcohol in the system.

It is unknown how long it will take to get a positive identification of the body, said Goodin. 

The body was found during a search for Skyler Naugle, 35, of Washington County, 

Monday morning, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department requested assistance from detectives from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg in searching for a missing person around the Little York area of Washington County. 

As part of their search for Naugle, officers visited 7707 East New Cut Road in Little York.

As officers began speaking with an occupant of the property they gained enough information to believe Naugle had been to the property before he went missing.

At this point they obtained permission to search the property from an owner and they also obtained a search warrant. 

While searching the property officers located a body in a wooded area near the home.

The body was not recognizable enough to provide an identity and an autopsy was performed this morning in Washington County.

Goodin said Tuesday there is a good possibility that the found body is that of Naugle however, but police are waiting for a 100 percent verification. 

Naugle was reported missing this past Saturday, July 21st by family members and was last seen on Monday July 16th in the early morning hours in the Little York area of Washington County. 

Anyone with information regarding the missing person Naugle or the body found is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police at 1-800-872-6743 or the Washington County Sheriff’s Department at 812-883-5999. 

The Washington County Coroner’s Office and Prosecutor’s Office are assisting in the investigation.

An autopsy was completed today in Clark County on the driver of the semi-tractor and trailer that crashed and caught fire Monday evening on Interstate #65 South at the 20 Mile Marker.

The deceased driver has been identified as Charles W. Pilcher, 60, from Mount Morris, IL. The autopsy was unable to determine a cause of death. Toxicology test results from the autopsy are pending. 

Clarification-The crash happened at the 20 Mile Marker not the 19 Mile Marker as listed on previous release.