UPDATE: Coroner Identifies Body Found in Madison Co.

MADISON COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) -The Madison Co. Coroner has confirmed that a body found in Madison County is that of missing man Fred Warner.

The coroner has not released a cause of death, pending an autopsy expected to be held Monday.

Kentucky State Police say they do not suspect foul play at this time, but are also waiting for autopsy results.

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1/23/17 9:00 a.m.

Family Member Says Body Found in Madison Co. is Missing Man

A family member has reached out to ABC 36 to say that the body found in Madison County’s Silver Creek is that of Fred Warner.

The body was pulled from a car in the creek at around 9:15 a.m. on Sunday, after a person spotted the car Saturday afternoon.  High waters prevented officials from recovering the body until the next morning, according to Kentucky State Police.

78-year-old Fred Warner, from Richmond, had been missing since December 18th.

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1/22/17 6:48 p.m.

Body Found in Creek in Madison County

Kentucky State Police and the county coroner recovered a body Sunday morning from Silver Creek in rural Madison County.

Though the coroner hasn’t identified the body yet, investigators say it’s likely 78-year-old Fred Warner from Richmond, who has been missing since December 18th.

KSP say around 9:15 Sunday morning they pulled the body of a man from a car that was stuck in Silver Creek near Duck Branch Road.

The body was sent to Frankfort for an autopsy to confirm the man’s identity but officials strongly believe it to be missing person Fred Warner.

KSP say a person spotted a car with a body in it in Silver Creek Saturday afternoon but due to high water Police had to wait until Sunday morning to get the body out of the car.

“You know that’s not what I wanted to do but under the circumstances for safety for everyone else, the state police, Madison County Sheriff’s office sent people down here to guard the scene,” said Jimmy Cornelison, Madison County Coroner.

The coroner says he believes the body had been there for a while.

Police say they think the man drove into the creek.

“It appears that at some point the vehicle drove into the creek and possibly floated down stream before it was located,” said Trooper Robert Purdy with Kentucky State Police.

The coroner says the car the man was found in matches that of the one Fred Warner’s family says he went missing in but as of right now they are unable to confirm he was the one found in the car.

“We can’t 100 percent say that is Mr. Warner but we feel strongly about it,” said Cornelison.

Warner’s son, Rick Warner, did however take to Facebook Sunday, writing in a post, “the search is now over for our father. There are still many questions that need to be answered… We are truly thankful for everyone’s help and support over the last 30 days.”

State police are still investigating the incident.