The body of the John Doe found washed ashore in Beverly Shores on April 11 has been identified.

The man was identified as William Edward Hurse, 33, of Benton Harbor, Mich., reported missing more than two months ago, Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris told the Chesterton Tribune on Saturday.

The Indiana State Police crime lab made the identification by running a usable fingerprint obtained from the body through the Integrated Automated Fingerprint System (IAFIS), Harris said.

The cause of death remains undetermined, however, and how, when, and under what circumstances Hurse entered Lake Michigan are unknown, Harris added. The results of a toxicology screen are pending.

Benton Harbor Det. Lt. Delmar Lange said today that Hurse’s mother reported her son missing on Feb. 3, after he left to run some personal errands and never returned.

Hurse was dressed in bib overalls, a black tee-shirt, and a black do-rag when he was found around 7:30 a.m. April 11 by a Florida woman taking photographs in the 600 block of Lakeshore Drive. Hurse was wearing a single hiking boot and a black wristwatch and in his pockets investigators found a Swiss Army knife, an all-in-one tool, and 35 cents in change.

The body had been in the water for some time, Harris has said.

Anyone with information about Hurse’s activities is urged to call the Porter County Coroner’s Office or the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Posted 4/16/2012