Two hikers coming out of the restrooms at the Calumet Dune Interpretive Center on the afternoon of October 25th heard a “pop” from the parking lot. As they drove out of the lot, they passed a car with a man leaning back in the driver’s seat, covered in blood. Responding ranger identified him as a 58-year-old resident of Chesterton, Indiana. Clutched in his hand was a .44 caliber handgun. It appeared that the man died from a single gunshot wound to the right temple. He left a diary in the passenger armrest of the car and had placed his driver's license in the seam of the glove compartment door for easy retrieval. Rangers Bill Tadych and Kyle Hudick, along with a chaplain from the sheriff's office, notified the surviving wife and two teenage daughters. Entries in the diary, which were confirmed by the family, revealed long-standing and very emotional work-related issues. The Porter County coroner has ruled the death a suicide.

Contact Information
Name: Mike Bremer, Chief Ranger