An unidentified body is currently being recovered from the Clark Fork River not far from the Reserve Street Bridge. 

Missoula County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Brenda Bassett said the body was spotted early Saturday afternoon.

"Our dispatch center received a call at about 12:41 p.m. that someone had spotted what appeared to be a body floating in the Clark Fork River on the south side near Reserve Street," Bassett said. "The sheriff's office and the Missoula City Police Department both responded, and it was determined that the incident was in the county's jurisdiction. We launched search and rescue, there are about five individuals out on the water right now that are recovering the unidentified body."

Bassett said once the body is recovered, it will be transported to the State Crime Lab here in Missoula to determine the gender of the individual, as well as the cause and manner of death, and if foul play may have been involved.

Bassett said as of 3:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, that several emergency vehicles were still stationed out on the Reserve Street Bridge.

"It looks like the unidentified body may have been in the river for quite some time," she concluded.

The Clark Fork River has seen several victims of drowning, as well as homicide in the past few years. In June of 2014, one individual who drove his vehicle over a barrier at a fast food restaurant and went into the river was identified as 71 year-old Melvin Beedle. In July of 2014, the body of 60 year-old Jack Pray was found in the Clark Fork River, and the cause of death for both men was determined to have been drowning.

photo by Peter Christian
Clark Fork recovery
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Also in 2014, the body of Gilbert 'Jack' Berry was found dumped in the Clark Fork River after he was beaten, tortured and shot by Kevin Lino and Kenneth Hickman. Lino is serving a 40 year term in the Montana State Prison.

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