UPDATE: Officials confirm body found in Burney Creek

UPDATED: Monday, Mar. 4, 1:30 p.m., With additional details from SCSO.

See Original Story below.

BURNEY — Sheriff’s officials confirmed to SCNS this afternoon that they are investigating the discovery of a body that was found in Burney Creek yesterday evening, Sunday, Mar. 3.

Deputies assigned to Shasta County Sheriff’s Burney Patrol Station were first alerted to the gruesome discovery just after 9 p.m., after receiving a 911 call reporting “a possible deceased subject in Burney Creek,” Shasta County Sheriff’s Lt. T. Thompson told SCNS in an email reply to a request for details and information related to the discovery.

“Deputies responded and confirmed there was a deceased subject in Burney Creek,” said Thompson.

“The deputies were not able to recover the decedent due to the position of the body, the high flow of Burney Creek, and the technical nature of the recovery,” Thompson continued.

Based on the circumstances, deputies secured the scene and waited until this morning to continue their body recovery efforts.

At around 8 a.m. Shasta County sheriff’s deputies, along with members of the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team – who are trained in swift water rescues, and Burney Fire personnel were able to recover the victim’s body, according to Thompson.

Citing their ongoing investigation, Thompson declined to provide any details regarding the victim; however, witnesses yesterday reported that the victim was believed to be a male.

This case is now being investigated by Shasta County Sheriff’s and Shasta County Coroner’s officials and their investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to immediately contact Lt. Thompson at (530) 245-6025. Callers can refer to incident file number 19S008277 and can remain anonymous.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

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Original Story: Officials investigating after body reportedly found in Burney

BURNEY — Authorities are investigating after a person’s lifeless body was found in Burney yesterday evening, Sunday, Mar. 3. Other than statements from witnesses at the scene and unofficial sources from several people familiar with the investigation, few details have been confirmed and sheriff’s officials have yet to release any information regarding the gruesome discovery.

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Officials responded to the scene after an area resident happened upon the victim’s body around 9 p.m. and called 911. The reporting party believed the victim was a male, but officials have not confirmed that, or any other information related to the find.

Area residents first became aware of the investigation a short time later, after noticing heavy police and fire presence and activity along Burney Creek, in the area of Park Ave., between Pit River Health Clinic and Bartel St.

One area resident who lives near where the body was discovered but requested to remain anonymous at this time told SCNS last night that the victim’s body was discovered “in the water below the bridge, at the diversion dam on Park Ave.” He also said the body appeared to have been in the water “for an extended time,” but he could not provide any further details.

Deputies and other personnel remained at the scene throughout the evening and reports from the scene indicated they were possibly waiting until daylight and the arrival of the department’s Search and Rescue Mountain Rescue Team – who are trained in swift water rescues, to attempt a body recovery.

Shasta County sheriff’s officials have not yet responded to a request for further information or details about the discovery or the sheriff’s ongoing investigation.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

IN OTHER BURNEY HEADLINES: Supporters of Burney Library move await ShasCo BOS’s approval

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.