On Friday morning, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department requested assistance from detectives from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg in searching for a missing person from Washington County.
During their search for the missing male, Jacob Ray Dodson, 22, from the Campbellsburg area of Washington County, officers located and questioned Jerry Lee Carson Jr., 47, from the Vallonia area in Washington County. Jerry Lee Carson Jr. was an associate of Jacob Ray Dodson. After speaking to Jerry Lee Carson Jr., detectives from the Indiana State Police placed him under arrest. He was charged with Obstruction of Justice and False Informing to Police. He was incarcerated at the Washington County Jail. Officers were also able to gain enough information to obtain a search warrant to search a property located at 4031 Wheeler Hollow Road, Vallonia, in Washington County.
While searching the property, officers located a body in a duffel style bag located under an abandoned mobile home. The body was positively identified as Jacob Ray Dodson by the Washington County Coroner’s Office. An autopsy is planned for Sunday morning in Washington County to determine a possible cause of death.
Jacob Ray Dodson was reported as a missing person this morning by a family member and was allegedly last seen on Saturday, October 20, in Washington County.
This investigation is a death investigation. After the autopsy and a possible confirmation of the cause of death is made, this status could obviously change.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Department, Coroner’s Office and Prosecutor’s Office are assisting in the investigation.
No further information will be available until the autopsy is completed Sunday morning.