Search for missing Siskiyou County man ends tragically after family finds victim’s body floating in Klamath River
SISKIYOU COUNTY, Calif., — Siskiyou County Sheriff’s officials were saddened yesterday to announce the discovery of a man’s body floating in the Klamath River. Officials say the man’s lifeless body was discovered by family members who had continued their own search efforts in the hopes of finding their loved one alive.
The victim, since confirmed to be Christopher Aubrey, went missing exactly one month earlier after a planned river excursion on Feb. 23. Although officials eventually located Aubrey’s pickup truck and later found his kayak downriver earlier this month, he had remained missing until yesterday’s tragic discovery.
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According to a March 2 social media release, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s officials began searching for Aubrey after he was reported missing on Feb. 23.
He was last seen in the Happy Camp area before heading to the Ferry Point area with a kayak with intentions to float across the river, according to officials and family members.
Reportedly an avid hunter and fisherman, Christopher Aubrey went missing on Feb. 23 after an outdoor excursion and planned river float. His body was found floating in the Klamath River by family members on March 23. SCSO photo
In their social media release, officials explained that Aubrey’s truck was found parked at the Ferry Point River Access on March 1, and that a kayak believed to be his was found downriver from the Independence River Access a short time later the same day.
As the family’s search continued on the morning of Wednesday, March 23, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office was notified that Christopher Aubrey was believed to have been located deceased in the Klamath River by one of his family members.
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The body was retrieved from the river and positively identified as Christopher Aubrey by family members as well as a deputy who responded to the scene to conduct an investigation into the cause of his death.
Upon his body being brought home to the Happy Camp area, a last moment request by his father was honored and a processional following his final travels were allowed to circle his town and down the highway, according to his aunt, Carrie L. Aubrey-Davis.
“It was so beautiful and a great tribute to a special young man that I am so proud to say is my nephew,” she explained in a sad social media post confirming that he had been found decesed.
“I will always love you, Christopher Aubrey,” she continued.
An autopsy will be conducted at a later date to determine the cause of death according to SCSO officials, who have since said, “Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of Chris.”
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Trevor Montgomery, 51, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and operates Riverside County News Source (RCNS) and Shasta County News Source (SCNS). Both are stringer organizations, providing breaking news coverage and community interest stories for other mainstream media organizations throughout the two regions they serve.
Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; the Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County; and Mountain Echo in Shasta County. He is also a regular contributor to Thin Blue Line TV and Law Enforcement News Network and has had his stories featured on news stations throughout the Southern California and North State regions.
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 30 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 18 grandchildren.