NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said it has identified human remains found last week in the Eel River as belonging to a missing Santa Rosa man.
The body of Bruce Allen Thompson, 52, was found in the south fork of the Eel River near Piercy on Dec. 5, according to Lt. Shannon Barney.
Barney said the body was found by a wildlife photographer who, along with a friend, contacted the Southern Humboldt Technical Rescue Team, which in turn notified the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office before responding to the scene and recovering the body.
The following day, Thompson’s sister contacted the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office to report that he had visited her in Eureka in mid-November and hadn’t been seen since he left to return to Santa Rosa on Nov. 13, according to Barney’s report.
His sister didn’t hear from him by Nov. 15 and learned that he’d missed a medical appointment. A missing person’s case was then filed with the Santa Rosa Police Department, Barney said.
Thompson’s family said he had been suffering from depression due to a serious decline in his health recently, according to Barney’s report.
On Tuesday an autopsy was performed and Barney said authorities identified the decedent as Thompson.
Barney said the cause and manner of Thompson’s death are not yet available due to additional medical tests being conducted.
Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office identifies man whose body was found in Eel River
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On