Tazewell County authorities are investigating a fatal traffic crash Tuesday in a rural area north of Manito.
Deputies responding to the call found a vehicle fully engulfed in flames along Bluff Road, south of Sky Ranch Road.
After Forman Fire Department personnel extinguished the blaze, investigators found one deceased occupant. Officials initially were unable to identify the driver yet, due to the extent of the fire.
On Friday, Tazewell County Coroner Charles Hanley identified the victim as Christopher Murphy, 35, of rural Manito. In a social media post, Hanley said Murphy was the only person in the vehicle and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Results of an autopsy conducted Friday are pending. An investigation by the Tazewell County Sheriff’s Office and the coroner’s office remains ongoing.
