Door County Sheriff Steve Delarwelle has confirmed that a body recovered in a wooded area in the Town of Liberty Grove is believed to be the remains of a 63-year old Grand Chute physician missing in Door County since June 29th. On Wednesday, authorities spent nearly ten hours in an area near German Road, east of Ephraim, after the Headwaters Search and Rescue K9 unit, a volunteer group from Vilas County, discovered human remains while conducting a search. The area was cordoned off while the site was investigated and, at one time, bright lights were employed in the search area fueling speculation that the operation was related to the three week search for Doctor Jeffrey Whiteside. Doctor Whiteside had been at the Ephraim Yacht Harbor where the family has a boat slip shortly before he walked away following a disagreement with his wife on that Monday. She reported him missing on Wednesday of that week. Since that day, numerous search efforts on land, water and in the air have been conducted. The Sheriff’s Department made its determination that the body was that of the missing physician based on clothing and personal property. A positive identification, cause and manner of death, is expected to be determined by the medical examiner.
A news conference on the discovery will be held at 1PM today at the Door County Sheriff’s Department.
