Body Found in Columbia River Last Summer Identified

The body of a previously unidentified homeless man believed to have drowned in the Columbia River in the spring of last year is now ID'ed.

Chelan County Coroner Wayne Harris says he had an artist sketch of the victim to release to the public, but the real breakthrough came when he shared the sketch with members of the Chelan PUD who oversee the property where the victim was originally found.

"Staff members could recognize from that sketch who it was," said Harris. "They gave me the name. And then, based on that name, I obtained some medical records."

Harris was then able to confirm the body as 76-year-old Robert A. Jones.

Jones' family was tracked down in Colorado and notified.

The coroner's office previously released a statement in January asking for public help to identify Jones. after there had been no progress for six months.