Body of Missing Hopedale Man Found

The search for a missing rural Hopedale man has come to a tragic end. Authorities confirmed Thursday afternoon that the body of Eric Burlingame, 59, was discovered along Shiloh Road in rural Tazewell County.

Burlingame had been reported missing on Sunday, December 14, after family members said they had not seen him for several days. The Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office issued a public appeal for assistance on December 15, noting that Burlingame did not have his phone or identification with him at the time of his disappearance. He was described as 5-foot-9 and weighing approximately 210 pounds.

On Thursday, December 18, the Tazewell County Coroner’s Office was contacted to respond to the scene. Burlingame was pronounced deceased at 1:30 p.m. No foul play is suspected, according to investigators. Authorities noted that the area where Burlingame was found had recently been covered in large snow drifts following this week’s winter storm.

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday afternoon to determine the official cause of death. The case remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police, the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tazewell County Coroner’s Office.