HUNTINGTON — A body found in the woods near a logging trail off of Norwich Lake has been identified as Robert Sherman, 79, who went missing last week — and whose disappearances prompted an extensive search.
“It brings closure to the family,” said Huntington Police Chief Robert Garriepy, although he also noted that this is “an unfortunate outcome.”
No foul play is suspected in Sherman’s death.
Garriepy said that Sherman’s body was discovered Tuesday afternoon by a civilian.
Sherman, a Chesterfield resident, was last seen alive on Feb. 7 in Westfield. However, on the night of Feb. 9 the rental vehicle he was driving was found stuck in a snowbank in the vicinity of 230 Norwich Lake Road.
Garriepy said that a hiker saw the vehicle, and sent the police a picture of the drivers license that was on the seat.
“We started the search from there,” Garriepy said.
Sherman had already been reported missing and State Police joined the search that evening with K-9’s and an air unit.
“I treat these people like they’re family,” said Garriepy, speaking of those that go missing.
Garriepy said that the public concern generated by Sherman going missing was helpful to the search effort.
“It brought a lot of awareness,” he said. “They were helping.”
Garriepy said that the area where Sherman’s vehicle was found doesn’t have cellphone service, and that there are a lot of seasonal properties in the vicinity. He said that a number of volunteers were checking these properties, and that someone who wasn’t living at their property at the time let the search use it as its base.
“That’s why I love this community,” Garriepy said. “People never say no when people need help.”
In addition to the State Police and Huntington Police Department, other organizations that assisted in the search were the Westhampton Police Department, Chesterfield Police Department, Worthington Police Department, and Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, Department of Conservation and Recreation, Huntington Fire Department, Huntington Highway Department and Russell Fire Department.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.