Body of missing Lake Villa hunter recovered by search crews

LAKE VILLA, Ill. - The body of a 60-year-old man who went missing while hunting in unincorporated Lake Villa last week has been recovered.

Search crews recovered the body of Patrick Serzynski from Fourth Lake on Saturday, five days after he was reported missing, according to the Lake County medical examiner's office.

Officials said results from a preliminary autopsy found Serzynski's death was consistent with drowning.

On Oct. 30, the Lake County Sheriff's Office found Serzynski's boat on the far east shoreline of Fourth Lake with the motor still running, and his personal belongings at his duck blind, but he remained unaccounted for.

Police conducted a thorough search of the marshy area surrounding the lake and the lake itself, and also pinged Serzynski's cell phone in an effort to locate him, but were unsuccessful until officials located his body Saturday.

Neighbors described Serzynski as a family man who not too long ago retired. He and his wife were looking forward to moving out of state soon.

"He was a sportsman. He hunted all of his life – dear, turkey, goose and so its really tragic," one neighbor said.

"He didn’t drink. He and his wife live down the street," Zuba said.

The Lake County sheriff's office is still investigating the incident.