Body of man who mysteriously went missing discovered three days later inside tanning bed at Planet Fitness
Three days after he went missing, a man was found dead in a Planet Fitness tanning bed.
Derek Sink, 39, was discovered around 9 a.m. Monday in the machine at Planet Fitness on Hardegan Street in Indianapolis, Indiana.
His family told police they last heard from him on Friday before reporting him missing on Sunday.
They told WHT that a needle was found in the tanning bed of Sink, who has struggled with drugs in the past.
Sink’s aunt said investigators were able to track him to the gym through his ankle monitor. It is unclear why he had the device with him.
Since Monday there has been a sign on the front door that says ‘tanning is currently not possible’.
Derek Sink, 39, was found in a tanning bed at Planet Fitness in Indianapolis, Indiana around 9 a.m. Monday. His family last saw him on Friday and reported him missing on Sunday
His family said a needle was found in his room and that Sink was struggling with drug use
One gym member, Elizabeth Len, recalled being greeted by a foul odor when she entered the building for her morning workout on Monday.
“And I was kind of sniffing around, trying not to look crazy, but I thought, ‘Something really smells awful in here,'” Len told WTHR, adding that the smell got stronger as they left the tanning salons approached.
Len expressed concern when Sink’s body was found on Monday, despite the gym being open from 7am to 7pm this weekend.
“The first thing that went through my head was the lack of attention from the Planet Fitness staff, which is quite disappointing because it could have been avoided,” she said.
“The tanning bed has a door, I believe, but still, why aren’t we concerned that the tanning bed may have been closed for three days?”
Sink’s loved ones remembered him as a loving person.
After his tragic death, a friend took to Facebook and said, “God bless you, my friend.”
One gym member, Elizabeth Len, recalled being greeted by a foul odor when she entered the building for her morning workout on Monday. She also wondered why it took so long for staff members to find Sink
The family also told the outlet that they hope the company will implement a more stringent end-of-shift cleaning policy so staff can prevent this from ever happening again.
A spokesperson for Planet Fitness, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer McCall Gosselin, told WTHR: “We were deeply saddened by the passing of one of our members, and the franchise owner is cooperating with local authorities in their investigation.
“At Planet Fitness, we have robust operational brand protocols in place because the safety and well-being of our members is our top priority.
“We are working closely with our local franchisee to ensure they are adhering to these brand protocols.”
His cause of death has not yet been determined. Police are currently investigating his death as a homicide.
DailyMail.com contacted Planet Fitness and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.