Man Found Dead Inside Gym Tanning Bed Three Days After Going Missing

A guy was discovered dead inside a Planet Fitness gym’s tanning bed after going missing for three days.

The death of 39-year-old Derek Sink, who was found dead in a tanning bed at a Planet Fitness facility on Hardegan Street on Monday, November 11, is presently being investigated by Indianapolis police.

Given that Sink entered the tanning bed on Friday, November 8, but his body wasn’t found until three days later, the peculiar circumstances surrounding his death have prompted inquiries.

After failing to come home on Sunday, Sink’s family reported him missing, which sparked a police investigation that eventually resulted in his capture.

 

According to allegations his family gave to NBC station WTHR, Sink, who had a history of substance abuse problems, was discovered with a needle in the room.

Sink was wearing an ankle monitor as part of a recent court-ordered house confinement connected to narcotics charges, which increased his family’s anxieties.

He was serving a term for possessing a narcotic drug and a controlled substance, according to Marion County Superior Court records.

His term had started in May, and the house detention included regular drug testing.

Before Sink’s body was discovered, Elizabeth Len, a gym patron who was there on the morning of November 11, mentioned smelling something strange next to the tanning rooms.

“I think there is a door on the tanning bed, but why aren’t we worried that it may have been closed for three days?” In an interview with WTHR, she asked.

 

According to an IMPD spokeswoman who talked to People, the coroner’s office is in charge of determining the specific causes of Sink’s death, and the inquiry is still underway.

McCall Gosselin, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Ezoic Planet Fitness, issued the following statement in response to the tragedy: “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.”

“At Planet Fitness, we have robust operational brand protocols in place, as the safety and well-being of our members is our top priority,” Gosselin said, underscoring the gym’s dedication to member safety. To make sure our local franchisee is following those brand guidelines, we are collaborating closely with them.

 

The chronology of events has left Sink’s family and the community with unresolved issues, especially how Sink’s presence in the tanning bed was overlooked for such a long time.

Family members filed a missing persons report on Sunday after telling WTHR that Sink went inside the gym on Friday but did not come home.

Authorities were able to conclude that Sink had never left the gym because to the tracking data from the ankle monitor.

As word of Sink’s passing spread, conversations concerning the security and surveillance requirements at gyms—particularly those that are open around-the-clock—began to take place.

According to a WPTA report, on November 11, a note was posted on the door of the Planet Fitness branch alerting members to the temporary closure of tanning services.

 

Since Sink’s cause of death has not yet been officially announced by the Marion County Coroner’s Office, the case remains open and local police are conducting more investigation.

Authorities are anticipated to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sink’s death as well as Planet Fitness’s operational procedures in order to determine how this tragedy transpired.

Due to ongoing concerns about gym safety regulations, the promptness of monitoring facilities, and the difficulties of treating people with substance abuse disorders, this tragedy has garnered attention on a local and national level.

In the hopes that the probe will provide clarity and stop future occurrences of this kind, Sink’s family is still looking for answers.

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