Quote:Body found in Eel River near Reggae on the River grounds
Matt LaFever
August 2, 2025

The Eel River Near Confusion Hill [Photo by Matt LaFever]

A man’s body was recovered Saturday from the South Fork of the Eel River near the site of the Reggae on the River festival grounds, prompting a multi-agency response just south of the Humboldt–Mendocino County line.
Around midday, the Leggett Valley Fire Department was paged to assist with a water recovery operation. The recovery took place upriver and south of the festival site, in an area historically known for drawing large crowds to the riverbank during Reggae on the River events.
Reporter Lisa Music, on scene, confirmed the presence of personnel from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Cal Fire, Leggett Valley Fire, and Piercy Fire Department. Emergency crews remained active at the scene through the afternoon.
Sheriff Matt Kendall told MendoFever the decedent is a Black man, likely in his 40s or 50s, with dreadlocks. Business cards found on his person suggest he may be from the Los Angeles area. Kendall said the man was possibly associated with Reggae on the River and likely drowned in a deep pool of the Eel River. There were no signs of trauma, and Kendall believes the death occurred recently. No vehicle has been linked to the man at this time.
Authorities have not yet released the man’s identity, and the investigation is ongoing.
We have reached out to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, and Leggett Valley Fire for additional comment and will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

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Editor’s Note:
This article has been updated to reflect new information from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office regarding the identity and circumstances of the decedent. Earlier speculation about a possible connection to a missing person case has been ruled out.

(08-19-2025, 06:50 PM)Drunk Monk Wrote: I was at D&C60, where there was also a death.