Northern Michigan man dies 11 days after winning $45K lottery

A northern Michigan man died less than two weeks after buying a lottery ticket worth nearly $45,000, according to media reports.

The Michigan Lottery website shows the Club Keno add-on game “The Jack” had a $44,983 win Sept. 13 at Dufty's Blue Water Inn in Caseville, in Huron County. He hadn't  yet claimed the prize, lottery officials said.

WJRT-TV reported the winner was Gregory Jarvis, who lives in Caseville and was found dead Friday on a private beach near the Saginaw Bay.

He was 57 and had been born in Ferndale, according to his obituary on the Fischer Family Funeral Services website.

WJRT reported an autopsy found the man had drowned. Caseville police Chief Kyle Romzek told the station no foul play was suspected and Jarvis appeared to have fallen and hit his head while tying up a boat.

He hadn't claimed his winnings due to ID issues, the Blue Water Inn owner told WJRT.

Winners of prizes worth more than $600 must present a photo ID and their Social Security card to collect the cash, said Jake Harris, a spokesman for the Michigan Lottery.

"Whoever is in possession of that ticket would be considered by law the rightful owner," he said, adding no one had stepped forward to claim the prize as of Wednesday night.