A Michigan man was found dead along a private beach Friday morning with a winning lottery ticket that he was never able to cash in his wallet, WLUC reports.
Gregory Jarvis, 57, was playing the Club Keno add-on game The Jack at the Blue Water Inn on Sept. 13 when he won the $45,000 jackpot. Jarvis was unable to cash the ticket because of an issue with his Social Security card, which meant that he needed to apply for a new one.
In the meantime, Jarvis returned to the Blue Water Inn on Sept. 19, and bought a round of drinks. “Very nice guy, he was here every day,” said inn owner Dawn Talaski said. His boss visited the inn last Wednesday to see if they knew anything regarding his whereabouts.
Talaski said she became uneasy when he didn’t show up the very next day. “Sometimes he’s up north working,” she said. “He wasn’t here all week, and we thought something is wrong.” A passerby discovered Jarvis’ body near his own boat two days later.
Caseville Police Chief Kyle Romzek said he grew suspicious after discovering the ticket in his wallet, but ultimately disregarded the likelihood of a homicide after meeting with people who knew him best. “At first, we were concerned about it but after the autopsy, and we interviewed people at the bar, he was well-liked around here, he was nice guy, that took it off the table,” Romzek said.
“We are thinking that he was tying up his boat, slipped and fell, hit his head, and that’s where he ended up in the water,” he added. “No foul play suspected.” An autopsy report, which showed head injuries consistent with someone hitting their head on a boat, supported this theory. It has been ruled that Jarvis drowned.
Talaski said Jarvis planned on putting the money towards a trip to North Carolina to see his father and sister. The winnings will now be shared amongst his relatives.
