PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A man whose body was found floating down the Willamette River last week, has now been identified.
Authorities say the man has been identified as 44-year-old James Ernest Donat of Corvallis.
With the help of the Corvallis Police Department, deputies pulled Donat’s body from the Willamette River near 1st and Jackson Street in Corvallis around 4:00 p.m. on March 31.
A single black cross tattoo was one of the only defining characteristics given by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office as they worked to confirm Donat’s identity week.
According to the Benton County Deputy Medical Examiner, Donat had been dead for roughly four days before his body was found and retrieved from the river.
“The Benton County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the public for the tips they provided to aid in the identification of James Donat,” BCSO said Thursday.
While police did not release any other details explaining how Donat came to be in the river, they did confirm they are actively investigating his death.
BCSO has asked anyone with information regarding Donat’s whereabouts in the weeks leading up to March 31, 2022, to contact Detective Matt Moser at matthew.moser@co.benton.or.us or call 541-766-6774.