The Benton County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday publicly identified a man who was found dead in the Willamette River near Albany.
A kayaker found the body of Jonathan Avery Smith, 34, of Albany, on the afternoon of Nov. 29, but officials weren’t able to immediately identify him.
So investigators released images of Smith’s tattoos, which included an image of a jester and a goat with a mermaid tail, hoping the tattoos would help someone identify him, officials said.
The effort worked, as deputies were able to identify Smith and notify his family after someone in the community recognized the distinctive tattoos, officials said.
Smith’s cause of death hasn’t been released, and the incident remains under investigation.
Investigators ask anyone with information about Smith’s death to contact the Benton County Sheriff’s Office at BentonCoSheriff@bentoncountyor.gov or call the anonymous tip line at 541-753-8477 (TIPS).
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