Body recovered from Columbia

A body found in the Columbia River on January 13 was identified as 17 year old Marciano Sakhoeun of St. Helens, Ore.

Sakhoeun, a high school student and Marine enlistee, was reported missing on October 18, 2017.

A tug boat captain reported seeing the remains in the river near the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for Columbian White-tailed Deer at 2:38 p.m. on Saturday. Wahkiakum County Coroner Dan Bigelow along with John Mason and Mike Balch, deputies from the Wahkiakum Sheriff’s Office, boarded the sheriff’s launch to search. They were given some aid from an agent from the Department of Fish and Wildlife who knew the area.

The Coast Guard located the body near Three Tree Point and waited for the crew from Wahkiakum to arrive. The body was secured and taken to the coroner in Cowlitz County.

“Examination quickly determined who it was,” Bigelow said. “There were no immediate indications of foul play.”

An autopsy is planned this week.