SULLIVAN COUNTY, Ind. — Sullivan County Coroner Tracy Tackett was found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday afternoon, just days after the Indiana State Police announced it was investigating allegations of Tackett soliciting a minor for sex.
Sullivan County deputies got a call Saturday, Aug. 14 around 9:30 a.m. that Tackett, 56, had suddenly left the apartment he shared with his girlfriend.
Tackett was the subject of an ISP investigation, but there were no active arrest warrants for him when he left.
Sullivan County Sheriff Clark Cottom tried to find Tackett's white Dodge pickup through GPS technology but was not able to track it down. Cottom also said Tackett did not have a cellphone with him when he left the apartment.
Sullivan County deputies and Indiana Conservation Officers searched rural areas and bodies of water through the weekend, but were unable to find Tackett.
On Monday, Cottom said he was looking in a rural area just off County Road 300 North, near County Road 225 East, and found a white Dodge pickup similar to Tackett's.
Cottom found a deceased man sitting in the driver's seat. The body was positively identified as Tackett in an autopsy on Tuesday.
Crime scene detectives and investigators said evidence shows Tackett died from a single, self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In the sheriff's release, Cottom said the department was notified by a citizen the morning of Aug. 12, concerning a video that reportedly showed Tackett and made allegations of criminal conduct.
The video referenced in the investigation was posted by the internet program Expose Your Local Pedophile.
In the video, the creator claims to be messaging with Tackett, who allegedly believes he is communicating with a 14-year-old girl. In the messages, Tackett allegedly sent a picture of himself and requested images in return.
The video shows Tackett in Henderson, Kentucky, where he allegedly drove to meet the teen. Tackett is wearing a shirt with a Sullivan County Coroner logo and holding a cellphone. The person taking the video shows the screen of the cellphone and highlights several messaging apps.
Sullivan County is roughly 95 southwest of downtown Indianapolis.
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