Body found in Boise River identified as missing person. Here’s what we know
The body found on the banks of the Boise River last week has been identified as a man who was missing since April.
The Ada County Coroner’s Office identified the body as Eric Jorgenson, of Boise, who was reported missing on April 26, according to a Wednesday news release from the coroner’s office. He was 65 years old.
Jorgenson was reported missing to the Boise Police Department after several of his personal items were found near his home in the Willow Lane area of Northwest Boise — which is also near the river — according to a Wednesday news release from the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. Police found evidence that Jorgenson had “significant medical issues” and had made suicidal statements when they investigated his disappearance.
Police couldn’t put a boat in the river for a search because it was running too high and fast, the release said. No evidence of foul play was found by police during the missing person investigation or by Eagle police in a follow-up investigation.
The coroner’s office identified Jorgenson using medical records and X-rays from his physician, Cassie Henderson, community support specialist for the coroner’s office, told the Idaho Statesman by phone. It’s unclear how long Jorgenson’s body might have been in the river, she said.
People “recreating” on the river in Eagle discovered the body partially submerged last week after noticing a smell, according to a post on Twitter from the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. It appeared as though the body had been there a long time, the post said.
The length of time it took for the coroner’s office to identify the body was due to its condition, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office release.
The cause and manner of death are still under investigation.
This story was originally published July 19, 2023 at 11:27 AM with the headline "Body found in Boise River identified as missing person. Here’s what we know."
