Malik Sims' mother tells TV station family tracked his phone to gravel road

Days have passed since Bloomington resident Malik Sims was found dead alongside a gravel road in rural Owen County and investigators remain silent on the case, providing no details.

"By law I can't legally confirm his identity until we have DNA confirmation, although his family has ID'd him from tattoos and other things," Owen County Coroner Shelby Hershberger said Thursday afternoon from Morgan County, where a pathologist was performing Sims' autopsy.

She wouldn't say what caused the 23-year-old's death and said toxicology test results will take weeks. "There are no physical findings I can share with you yet," Hershberger said.

Monday afternoon, someone driving on Stephenson Road saw a body off the north side of the rutted gravel road and called 911. Police arrived and found Sims' body. The location is about half a mile west of the intersection with County Line Road and adjacent to acres of rolling soybean fields.

Sims' mother said his roommate grew concerned when he didn't respond to texts or calls and didn't return home Sunday night. She told a FOX 59 television reporter they traced his phone to the rural location where his body had been found and police were already there, the area cordoned off with yellow crime-scene tape.

The Owen County Sheriff's Office, with help from Bloomington and state police, is the main investigating agency. Sheriff Ryan White wasn't available Thursday and isn't releasing information about the case to the media.

"Details surrounding the investigation will not be shared with the public. The investigators are working tirelessly to solve this case," the department said in a Facebook post the day after Sims' body was found. Anyone with information is asked to contact Owen County Sheriff's Office Detective Nathan Martin at 812-829-5757.

Family members are planning to hold a memorial service in Bloomington.

Contact H-T reporter Laura Lane at llane@heraldt.com or 812-318-5967.