Man found hanging in Frankfort Township forest preserve

A group of high school students found a 48-year-old man hanging in a forest preserve Tuesday afternoon in Frankfort Township.

Thomas Lacasse, of Mokena, was pronounced dead at 4:59 p.m. at the Hickory Creek Preserve, according to the Will County coroner’s office.

Authorities were called about 3:30 p.m. after a group of Lincoln-Way East High School students who were running trails in the Hickory Creek Forest Preserve saw what appeared to be a body hanging in the woods across a creek, according to Will County Forest Preserve Police Lt. Dave Barrios. The students then ran back to the school, 201 Colorado Ave. in Frankfort, to alert school officials.

Police said the death was an apparent suicide.

An autopsy conducted Wednesday morning identified the preliminary cause of Lacasse’s death as hanging. The coroner’s office hasn’t ruled on the final cause or manner of his death, pending the review of police and toxicology reports.

Counselors were made available to the students on Wednesday, according to Lincoln-Way School District 210 spokeswoman Taryn Atwell.