Trending
WILLIAMSTOWN -- An investigation is ongoing after a man's body was found floating in the Ohio River Saturday evening near Marietta's shoreline.
The deceased's name was released publicly Sunday morning in a Facebook post by the Wood County Sheriff's Department. He was identified as Christopher Wayne Shilling, 45, of Washington County.
The cause of death is still being investigated by the sheriff's department and the West Virginia Medical Examiner's Office.
Because the body was in the Ohio River, the case is under West Virginia's jurisdiction, and the sheriff's department will be leading the investigation. The Washington County Sheriff's Office and Marietta Police Department are also assisting.
According to the sheriff's Facebook post, Wood County Central Dispatch received a call at 5:34 p.m. Saturday, advising that a body was located in the Ohio River around the Interstate 77 bridge near Ohio's shore. Two subjects were walking on Marietta's riverfront and spotted the body, the post said.
The Marietta Police and Fire departments, along with Wood County Sheriff's Sgt. R.A. Waters and Deputy B.H. Thornburg, responded to the scene.
The Williamstown Volunteer Fire Company also brought a rescue boat to retrieve the body, the post said.
The body was transported via St. Joseph Ambulance Service to Camden Clark Medical Center in Parkersburg. Assistant Wood County Coroner P.R. Louden responded to the hospital along with Waters. The body was identified at that time.