.jpg)
CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ind. (WHAS11) -- Crews have recovered the body found inside a cave at the Harrison-Crawford State Forest Sunday night. Conservation officials believed it to be the body of 25-year-old Kevin Eve of Georgetown, Ind. who was reported missing in Oct. - the coroner has now confirmed that it is Eve's body.
The coroner has also released the cause of death - a self-inflicted gun shot wound.
Sunday, a group of college students found a body in a cave and alerted conservation officers.
The Eves hope to finally put their son Kevin to rest.
In the sky and on the ground recovery crews took to the forest of Harrison-Crawford State Park.
Around 6:15 Monday evening, conservation officials say they removed a body from breathing hole cave, believed to be Kevin Eve.
"They believe that's him,” said Ray Renfro, friend of the family.
"They want to remain private. They've got to put him to rest now," said Renfro.
Eve went missing on Oct. 1. WHAS11 talked to his mother Becky Days later as crews searched with the hope of finding him alive.
Kevin was in the Air Force and he returned home from a deployment in Iraq in March. Kevin's mom told us he explored caves the areas caves for years.
Ind. conservation Officer Jeffrey Milner described the difficulties recovering the body.
"It's not a straight drop. It's on a ledge and then you crawl through a hole and onto another ledge and continue to climb down," Milner said. “Some of the items that were laying next to the body were items [Eve] purchased the day he went missing."
With a body found, Eve's loved ones believe they're a step closer to closure.
"Growing up, the hunting and fishing we [did] together. We had a lot of fun. He loved the outdoors. He was a good kid," Renfro said.
