The East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office in Louisiana confirmed on August 14 that a body was discovered in the Mississippi River.
The drowned man was identified as Jody Bert, 44, a Florida man who had been missing since March. Bert was last seen in Baton Rouge, where he and his family had stopped at a hotel for the night.
The initial discovery of the body was made by a dredging company late Monday night, around 11:30 pm. The U.S. Coast Guard subsequently informed the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. The body was retrieved by the Maritime unit and handed over to the coroner’s office. Early findings suggest no suspicious circumstances surrounding Bert’s death.
Bert and his family, on their journey from visiting relatives in Oklahoma to Florida, halted in Baton Rouge due to his health concerns. His last known location was in downtown Baton Rouge, where he left his family at a hotel at around 12:45 am on March 22. He went to park their vehicle but did not return. His belongings and the family car were located in the hotel’s parking facility the next day. The unfortunate recovery of his body ends the family’s search.
