Missing elderly man found dead after intense Lexington search. He had fallen 12 to 15 feet.
.jpeg "Lexington police and its K-9 unit searched Thursday in the Military Pike area for an elderly man .")
Search teams were not able to find an 84-year-old missing man before he died in a cistern, according to the coroner’s office.
Dwight Newton was found at 3669 Military Pike, in the area where Lexington firefighters, police officers, K-9 officers and Kentucky State Police searched much of the day Thursday. A Golden Alert issued for the man was canceled at roughly 8:15 p.m.
Newton died of injuries suffered in a fall of 12 to 15 feet, according to the Fayette County coroner’s office. He was pronounced dead about 7 p.m.
Newton was last seen about 6 p.m. Wednesday when he went to visit his wife’s grave at Blue Grass Memorial Cemetery in Nicholasville.
Newton suffered from early onset dementia but has refused treatment and medication, according to police.
The search was concentrated in the Military Pike area after the car — a 2005 Kia Sorento —he was driving was found by a property owner at a home on Military Pike near Fort Springs Pinckard Road about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Police learned of the discovery of the car Thursday morning.
Military Pike between Keene Road and Fort Springs Pinckard Road was shut down for more than six hours Thursday while emergency workers looked for Newton.
This story was originally published May 10, 2019 at 6:49 AM.