Tim Davlin, 53, the mayor of Springfield, Ill., since 2003, was found dead at his home Tuesday morning of a gunshot wound, according to the Springfield State Journal-Register.
The newspaper reported that the wound was self-inflicted. Police remained tight-lipped throughout the day, and would not say whether it was a suicide or accident.
An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.
Police went to check on Davlin when he failed to appear Tuesday morning for a court hearing about a late cousin’s estate.
Davlin’s connection to Route 66 was that he and other Springfield officials advocated a plan to acquire the historic Bel-Aire Motel along Route 66 in Springfield and convert it into a Route 66 museum and tourism center. In August, the city applied for a $1 million grant from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program for the project.