Family says body is that of missing man

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - The Marion County Coroner's Office says that after additional information was discovered, they have reason to believe the body found on the northeast side of Indianapolis Friday afternoon is that of missing man Joshua Swalls.

A family spokesperson said via Twitter that they have positively identified their son and are thanking the community for their support. They released the following statement:

Our son, Joshua Swalls, was last seen on Nov. 3, 2012. After several searches by family and friends and five searches with volunteers from the community, Joshua was found yesterday, Nov. 23, 2012 in the retention pond near 65th & Keystone Ave., Indianapolis, IN.

The outpouring of support, thoughts and prayers from the community, and even around the world, through the searches, our Facebook page, website and Twitter has been tremendous and appreciated far more than each individual person could possibly know. We would like to take this opportunity to send them our deepest and most heartfelt thanks in giving of themselves to help us find our son.

As a family, we ask for some time alone to process what has happened, not only in the last 24 hours, but in the last 21 days as well. All of our energies and thoughts have been focused on bringing our son home, searching from sunrise to sunset in areas we never imagined we would be and talking to people we would probably have never met otherwise. We will announce funeral arrangements and other services for Joshua next week.

A benefit account has been set up in Joshua’s name at Key Bank. Donations can be made at any Key Bank location in the Indianapolis-area by asking the teller to add the donation to the Josh Swalls Beneveolent Account.  Outside of the Indianapolis-area, donations can be sent to Josh Swalls Benevolent Account, Key Bank, 4404 E. 10th St, Indianapolis, IN 46201.

Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to the city's northeast side Friday afternoon where a body was found in the water near a Kroger.

Officers at the scene say a Kroger employee saw clothing in a pond on the 2600 block of East 65th Street and called 911.

The discovery was made just before 3:30 p.m. Friday near E. 65th St. and Keystone Ave.

The family and friends of a missing man, Joshua Swalls , also arrived to the scene.

Swalls disappeared on Nov. 3 after he had been visiting a friend near the Lakewood Lodge Apartments in the 2600 block of Timerberly Drive.

His parents gathered with volunteers last weekend to continue searching for their son.

Funeral arrangements for Swalls are pending.