A body discovered by a hiker over the weekend appears to be that of a missing Walworth County man. The Walworth County Sheriff’s Office says a hiker found the body – believed to be that of 48 year-old Russ Delorme – Sunday afternoon off of a trail in the Kettle Moraine Forest.
The body was found in a heavily wooded area well off of the marked trail. The sheriff’s department is awaiting dental records to make a positive identification, but personal items at the scene lead investigators to believe the body is Delorme’s. An autopsy was performed on Monday and the cause of death is believed to be a self-inflicted gun shot wound.
The Elkhorn resident was reported missing on August 1st, and the sheriff’s office conducted eight separate searches involving persons on foot, horseback, and ATVs.