Washington man dies while mushroom hunting in Marshall County

SPARLAND – A Washington man died from a cardiac event while mushroom hunting in Marshall County, authorities said.

Richard Simpson, 61, was found in a wooded area just north of Hopewell Estates at about 1:45 p.m. Sunday, according to Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Wilson and Coroner David Lenz Jr.

The family contacted authorities at 12:06 p.m. Sunday to report that they had not heard from Simpson since Thursday, when he left Washington to hunt morels in Marshall County, according to Wilson.

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The family had located his truck at the entrance to Hopewell Estates along Illinois Route 29 at a spot commonly used by car-poolers. After deputies searched the immediate area, a team was formed to widen the search, and Simpson was soon found in the timber.

Lenz estimated that the time of death had been sometime between late Thursday and early Friday. No autopsy was conducted, but the cardiac-related cause could be determined through other factors, including medical history, he said.

No foul play was suspected.