Man, 23, found dead along rural Indiana road. Law enforcement providing only scant details.

Police are investigating the death of a Bloomington man found along a county road in rural Owen County, but are releasing only scant information.

The Owen County Sheriff’s Office released the man’s name, Malik Sims, but not his age, where he lived, how he died, when he was found, where he was found or who found him.

Sheriff Ryan White and Detective Nathan Martin did not return phone calls Wednesday morning. Spokesmen for the Bloomington Police Department and Indiana State Police, which is assisting in the case, said all the information has to be released by Owen County.

In a Facebook post from Tuesday evening, the Owen County Sheriff’s Office said the cause of death had not been determined.

“In an effort (to) protect the integrity of the case, all other details surrounding the investigation will not be shared with the public,” the OCSO said. “The investigators are working tirelessly to solve this case.”

A family friend said Sims was 23 and attended Batchelor Middle School and graduated in 2019 from Bloomington High School South.

Nancy Hafer said her son, Elijah, and Sims had been best friends for about a decade, since their time at Batchelor.

The boys and some of their friends, including Sims' younger brother, would often come to the Hafers' house after school because Sims' mother, Kelley Irving, who lived nearby at the time, was going back to school to get a degree in social work, Hafer said.

When the students came to the Hafers' house, they usually would grab something to eat out of a snack drawer or freezer, from Pop-Tarts and Little Debbies to boneless wings or pizza rolls.

Hafer said Sims was "just a great kid" who was protective of his younger siblings and helped take care of his grandmother, who is now back in Chicago, along with his mother and stepfather.

"He was sweet and kind," Hafer said.

He worked in retail and fast food, but was still "just kind of trying to find himself," she said.

Out of the group of kids, she said, he was the most respectful. She said it took her two years to get him to stop saying "ma'am" when he addressed her.

"His mom taught him that," Hafer said. "(She) was one of the strongest single moms I've ever met in my life."

Hafer said no funeral arrangements have been made.

"His friends and family are really struggling," she said, fighting tears.

People who posted on Facebook and who said they knew Sims described him as “a kind soul,” “respectful” and “the sweetest, goofiest, most loving kid you could ever have met.”

His Facebook profile showed he liked Bloomington High School South football, the Chicago Bears, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Jay Z, Bruno Mars and the TV show “Rugrats.” 

The Owen County Sheriff’s Office asked that anyone with information about the case contact Martin at 812-829-5757.

This story may be updated.

Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com.