Curry County Sheriff’s Dispatch received a call from an off-duty Cal Ore Employee late Saturday afternoon, February 24th, regarding a body of an elderly man found on a gravel bar on the Chetco River.
A Sheriff’s Deputy along with the Patrol Lieutenant and a Sheriff’s Detective responded to the location where the body of an unidentified elderly man was found face down on dry gravel near At Rivers Edge RV, east of Brookings.
When authorities arrived, they found the unidentified man face down on dry gravel and it appeared that the man had been in the river when the river was high and when the river receded, the man was left where he was found.
The man did not have any identification on him and there was no indication for what happened to him. The District Attorney was notified, and the man’s body was released to Redwood Memorial pending an autopsy to help determine the cause of death. Deputies and Detective made numerous contacts trying to find the identity of the man.
On Tuesday, February 27th, an autopsy was conducted at the Oregon State Crime Lab in Medford during which the Oregon State Police fingerprinted the man and identified him as 75 year old Michael Rupert, of Brookings.
Results of the autopsy are not yet known but according to the medical examiner, at this time there does not appear to be any indication of foul play.
The next of kin has been notified and the Curry County Sheriff’s Office is continuing the investigation.
