Springfield police investigating body found in SUV fire as suspicious

Springfield police are investigating as a suspicious death that of the man whose body was found inside a burning SUV last week.

On Thursday, a resident near the park in the 700 block of Sherman Avenue called dispatch at about 4 a.m. to report a fire in the trees. The caller described hearing what sounded like fireworks.

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When firefighters arrived, they requested aid from Moorefield Twp., he said, because the vehicle was in the back of the park near the treeline. Moorefield Twp. responded with their four-wheel-drive vehicle, and firefighters were able to put out the fire.

When officers inspected the vehicle, they found a body in the back seat.

Police identified Gary Moore, 50, as the person who was found.

However, Springfield Police Division Lt. Jeff Meyer said he could not release more information.

“We are still investigating,” he said.

Meyer said the coroner’s office could not determine the cause of Moore’s death at the scene. Clark County Coroner Dr. Richard Marsh said there were no updates in the case Monday.

Family of Moore’s that the Springfield News-Sun reached Monday declined to comment.

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No arrests were made in the case as of Monday evening, according to records.

Investigators, the coroner’s office and the prosecutor’s office all were at the scene Thursday morning.

The vehicle was described as a Chevy Suburban that appeared to have been blue, according to a police report. The license plate didn’t match the vehicle, so the owner was unknown, according to authorities.

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