Indianapolis police are investigating the mysterious death of a man at a local Planet Fitness location, who was found deceased inside of the gym’s tanning beds.
According to local outlet 13News, thirty-nine-year-old Derek Sink entered the tanning bed Friday and was found dead Monday morning, according to his family.
Missing man found dead in Planet Fitness tanning bed 3 days after arriving at Indianapolis gym https://t.co/K11S4ZpKJE pic.twitter.com/hUi04SEfTm
— New York Post (@nypost) November 13, 2024
Sink had a known drug problem and a needle was found in the room, his family told the outlet.
Sink’s aunt told 13News that the family had reported him missing Friday.
Investigators later determined that Sink never left the gym, as his ankle monitor showed no sign of him departing, the outlet reported.
According to IndyStar, the Planet Fitness location Sink went to closed at 9:00 p.m. Friday and was open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. over the weekend, according to the location’s website.
Sink was found shortly before 9:00 a.m. on Monday, nearly four hours after the gym had opened.
A woman who had been at the gym that morning before officials arrived told the outlet that she and others had noticed a foul odor near the tanning rooms.
“We were deeply saddened by the passing of one of our members, and the franchise owner is working with the local authorities in their investigation,” Planet Fitness Chief Corporate Affairs Officer McCall Gosselin said in a statement.
“At Planet Fitness, we have robust operational brand protocols in place, as the safety and well-being of our members is our top priority. We are working closely with our local franchisee to ensure they are upholding those brand protocols.”
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) said that the Marion County Coroner’s Office is working to “determine the exact manner and cause of death.”