Recovered Body in Piscataqua River

At approximately 6:10 PM, the Portsmouth Police Department Dispatch Center began receiving calls of a person floating in the Piscataqua River in the area of the decks behind Surf restaurant.  Portsmouth Police Officers responded to the area and were assisted by New Hampshire Marine Patrol, the US Coast Guard and the Portsmouth Fire Department, who all responded to the scene with boats. 

The subject was described as a white male wearing a grey t-shirt and blue jeans.  At approximately 7:26 PM, the male subject was located in the river by Portsmouth Fire Department in the area of Henderson point on the New Hampshire side of the river.  The subject was deceased.  The Portsmouth Fire Department transported the subject back to the State Pier on Pierce Island where the Portsmouth Police Department continued the investigation and contacted the New Hampshire Office of the Medical Examiner for assistants. 

At this time the deceased male has yet to be identified.  The Portsmouth Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance with the reporting of any missing persons in the area fitting the description of a white male between the ages of 50 to 60 years of age, having grey hair and a grey beard. He’s approximately 5’6 tall and weighing approximately 150 pounds.  The male had tattoos of a bear on his left shoulder, a deer head on his right shoulder and a rose on his back.

As part of the investigation an autopsy will be conducted by the Office of the Medical Examiner, and the New Hampshire State Police will be assisting in the investigation.

If you have any information which may assist in this investigation, please contact Detective Captain Darrin Sargent at (603) 610-7549 or 603-436-2511.

Or you may also choose to remain anonymous by reporting any information to Seacoast Crime Stoppers by calling (603) 431-1199, texting CRIMES (274637) and including TIPSCS in the message, or you may submit a confidential tip online by visiting the Seacoast Crime Stoppers website at www.seacoastcrimestoppers.com or the Facebook page.  Rewards of up to $1,000.00 may be paid for help solving cases if the information leads to the arrest or indictment of a suspect(s).

Prepared by Captain Mark Newport for Chief Robert Merner