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REGIONAL: Body recovered off of coast identified as missing Roseville businessman
NORTH COAST, Calif. – A body recovered in the ocean near Gualala last week has been identified as that of a missing Roseville businessman.
Stephen Clark Pease, 57, the owner of several Sacramento-area businesses, was identified following a Tuesday autopsy, according to a report from Capt. Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
Pease had been reported missing to the Roseville Police Department on Oct. 31, Van Patten said.
The Roseville Police Department missing person’s investigation determined Pease had checked out of a Fort Bragg area motel on Nov. 3.
Van Patten said Pease's body was found 50 to 60 miles from that hotel on the afternoon of Nov. 23.
At approximately 12:30 p.m. that day recreational divers were swimming in the Pacific Ocean near the shore in the Gualala area when they located Pease's body, Van Patten said.
The divers called the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office. Van Patten said the Sonoma County Sheriff's helicopter Henry-1, members of the South Coast Volunteer Fire Department, a California Highway Patrol Officer and a California Department of Fish and Wildlife Warden also responded to assist with the body recovery.
The warden donned a wetsuit and swam out to Pease and pulled him to the shore, Van Patten said. Due to the height and steepness of the cliff it was not possible to carry the body up to the roadway.
Van Patten said a Sonoma County deputy sheriff and a South Coast firefighter were suspended under the helicopter and lowered to recover the body.
Pease's body appeared to have been in the water for more than a few days and no identification was found with him. Van Patten said Pease would be identified thanks to the ID numbers found on his hip implants during the autopsy.
Van Patten said authorities are still searching for the rental car Pease was driving, a silver 2014 Chevrolet Captiva with Oregon license plate 500GKN.
The coroner's investigation is ongoing into the cause of Pease's death, Van Patten said.