OIL CITY — Investigators suspect that a body recovered today from a West Jefferson County beach is that of a Hoh tribal fisherman whose boat capsized last month.
The body, recovered by Olympic National Park rangers at 10:30 a.m., was badly decomposed and has not been identified.
But Jefferson County Sheriff’s Chief Criminal Deputy Joe Nole said all signs point to the body being that of 21-year-old David Hudson Jr., who has not been found since his boat capsized on the Hoh River on Oct. 11.
“Even though we can’t say how many days he’s been in the water . . . being in that state of decomposition and being in that location, it just all ties in,” he said.
“It’s a high probability that it’s going to be him.”
Nole said the Sheriff’s Office will show Hudson’s family pictures of the body Saturday to see if they can identify him.
The body was found in driftwood about 300 yards north of the river.
A hiker reported the body to the park at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday, said Dave Reynolds, park spokesman.
A ranger hiked in that evening and made the call to recover it the following morning during daylight hours, he said.
The body is being held by Kosec Funeral Home in Port Townsend.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
