UPDATE: This story was updated at 10:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, after authorities reported finding Samuel Waln's vehicle and a body nearby.
WADENA — The body of who is believed to be a 30-year-old Wadena man was discovered Wednesday, July 16, by a search and rescue team in rural Sebeka.
The sheriff's office provided an update in a news release after asking for the public's help to find Samuel Waln a day earlier. Waln was last seen traveling eastbound on Highway 10 in Wadena the afternoon of Saturday, July 12.
The sheriff's office received a report Wednesday that a vehicle matching the description of Waln's white 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee was found. Sheriff's deputies arrived at the site and confirmed it was the correct vehicle. A search of the area revealed the body of a man located 240 feet above the ground in a tower.
Because of the height of the tower, the sheriff's office requested assistance from an urban search and rescue team. Minnesota Task Force 1, which is part of the State Fire Marshal's Office, responded and recovered the dead man. The body was transported to Midwest Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy and official identification.
According to the release, the sheriff's office believes this was an isolated incident and there is no danger to danger to the public or foul play suspected.
Also assisting at the scene were the Minnesota State Patrol, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Wadena County Highway Department, Karvonen Funeral Home and Ken's Towing.
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Larissa Donovan/KAXEBemidji Area Reporter Larissa Donovan reflects on her work covering stories in northwestern Minnesota and beyond in her ninth year as a journalist. -
Bemidji Area Reporter Larissa Donovan looks back on her work reporting for northwestern Minnesota in 2025 during her ninth year as a journalist. -
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KAXE reporter Megan Buffington foregoes naming a favorite story and instead examines a favorite beat — and how it answers the oft-asked, "Why did you become a journalist?"
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Our No. 1 and No. 2 stories of year follow the wide-ranging local impacts of sometimes swift and surprising decisions in Washington, D.C., and a severe natural disaster changes the landscape in the Bemidji area.
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Our No. 3 and No. 4 stories of year examine the state's wild rice sulfate standard as U.S. Steel seeks a variance from the MPCA, and the arrest and subsequent resignation of former state Sen. Justin Eichorn.
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Our No. 5 and No. 6 stories of year break down what it means for local sheriffs to help enforce immigration laws, and the impact of budget cuts to library systems across the region.
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Our No. 7 and No. 8 stories of year cover the proliferation of automatic license plate readers as a law enforcement tool in Northern MN, and spring wildfires that destroyed thousands of acres and hundreds of structures.
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KAXE covered natural disasters, federal funding chaos, Eichorn's arrest and resignation, mining permits and wild rice, library budget cuts, sheriffs teaming with ICE and more. -
Our No. 9 and No. 10 stories of year include an unusual strike over whether a wide range of Essentia Health providers can form a union and the controversial sale of an MN utility company.
