Ganges body ID’d as Chicago man

By Scott Sullivan
Editor
Police have identified a body that washed up on a private Ganges Township beach Feb. 14 as belonging to Elijah Ramone Cooper, 21, of Chicago.
Cooper, identified by dental records, had last been seen Nov. 15, 2023.
The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office reported a homeowner in the 2200 block of Lakeshore Drive saw what she thought was a human body on the sand and called authorities at 8:20 a.m. that Wednesday..
Cooper’s body was naked aside from a pair of size 12 brown leather Converse All Star shoes/boots. It appeared to have been in the water for some time.
The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as a suspicious death, although no clear signs of foul play were observed. Identification could not be made then because of the time the body had been in water.
The County Medical Examiner’s office ID’d the body Tuesday. The Michigan State Police and the Saugatuck Fire Department assisted the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office on the scene.