A woman who was previously reported missing outside Decatur was found dead Tuesday afternoon, the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office said.
A 29-year-old White Pigeon man is in custody and will be charged with vehicular manslaughter in the death of 64-year-old Melody Rohrer, who was hit by the suspect's car while jogging Monday morning, authorities said.
Van Buren County Sheriff Dan Abbott said deputies found Rohrer’s coat and boots, but no sign of her.
“Upon looking around the area where she normally walks, one of the deputies found some items that belonged to her and skid marks and it was quite obviously she’d been hit by a vehicle," Abbott said.
The suspect removed Rohrer's body from the scene and hid it in another county, according to Abbott.
Abbott said the suspect was placed in custody Tuesday afternoon.
The 29-year-old man will be charged with vehicular manslaughter, concealing the death of an individual and failure to stop at a scene of a crash involving a serious injury.
Rohrer was struck while out on her daily run near her home, according to family members.
"Our office along with multiple other agencies worked nonstop on the case from the time it came out, developed a suspect and was able to come to a resolution," Abbott said.
Rohrer was reported missing by deputies after she was last seen walking Monday morning between 8:15 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the 84000 block of County Road 215 in Hamilton Township near Oak Shores Campground.
Family members said Rohrer always made running and walking a daily habit no matter where her and her husband traveled in their retirement.
Rohrer was a grandmother of four and retired nurse at Bronson Methodist Hospital.
"We're absolutely devastated and heartbroken. She was an amazing woman," Rohrer's niece, Danielle Rohrer, said.
Van Buren County Prosecutor Susan Zuiderveen said the suspect is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at 1:30 p.m.