Elderly Effingham Man Found Dead in His Home

The body of an elderly Effingham man was found in his home Wednesday afternoon.

Effingham city police were contacted to conduct a welfare check at a residence on Illinois Avenue. A neighbor had observed a large amount of mail in the mailbox. Officers responded and made entry into the residence and found the man dead on the couch in the living room.

The man has been identified as 81-year-old Areal Lee Rives of Effingham.

Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes said an initial investigation indicated there was no trauma or injury to Rives. No foul play is suspected; Rhodes said it appears to be a natural death.

Rives' body was transported to the morgue at HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital in Effingham. Rives' children, who live in Texas and California, were notified of their father's death by the Coroner's Office and are en route to Effingham.

The Coroner's Office requested Rives' medical records from the Veterans Administration in St. Louis. The coroner's office is continuing its investigation.