WELLINGTON ? The death of an Argonia teenager hit by a train was a suicide “staged to give the appearance of a homicide,” the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

The July 5 death of Jacob “Jake” Allen has haunted this rural Kansas community since media reports surfaced that the 19-year-old had apparently been tied with baling wire to the tracks.

“There is no evidence that any other person or persons took part in or were present at Mr. Allen’s death,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. “Nothing revealed in this case would connect it to any investigation in any other jurisdiction.”

Forensic examinations were done on evidence from the scene and Allen’s home. Evidence included autopsy results, fingerprints, documents, handwriting analysis, tool mark identification, fiber comparison, blood analysis and DNA matching, the release said. Two computers also were searched.

Sumner County Sheriff Gerald Gilkey was not available for comment Thursday, and Allen’s family declined comment.

The release did not give any further details of the case.

“The Sumner County Sheriff’s Office is aware of the frustration and concern experienced by the public during this investigation,” according to the statement. “However, time and patience have been necessary in order to complete a thorough and comprehensive investigation.”

Allen graduated as Argonia High School valedictorian in May and had planned to attend Northeastern Oklahoma University.

His nude body was found early July 5 along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. tracks a few miles east of Argonia. His black sweatshirt and red sweatpants were farther down the line.

The train hit Allen’s body along one of the busiest main lines of the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe’s system. Every 15 to 20 minutes a train passes along the single-track section near Milan, which is part of the railroad’s premier line between Chicago and Los Angeles.

A spokesman for the railroad did not return a Thursday evening phone call seeking comment.

In high school, Allen competed in football, basketball and track. He was also an honor student, a member of the National Honor Society, the speech and forensics club, the math club and member of the schools’ service club.