FOLSOM —A body was recovered from the waters of Lake Natoma late Monday morning as authorities continue an active investigation connected to a missing-person case that began over the weekend, according to California State Parks and the Folsom Police Department.
California State Parks officials confirmed that the body of a man was located and recovered from the lake at approximately 11:20 a.m. Monday. Officials have not yet released the individual’s identity and have not formally confirmed whether the body recovered is that of the man reported missing late Friday night.
According to Andrew Bates, commander with the Folsom Police Department, officers received a call shortly after 11 p.m. on Dec. 27 from friends of a man who had been missing since the night before or early that morning.
“We received a call just after 11 p.m. on 12/27, from friends of a man who had been missing since the night before/early morning,” Bates said. “Officers began a missing person investigation, and some of the man’s friends also began searching, finding his e-bike and some belongings along the west edge of Lake Natoma, just downstream from Black Miner’s Bar.”
Police said officers conducted searches both on foot and from the air using uncrewed aircraft, while Folsom Fire Department was also requested to assist with water-based search efforts.
“Officers searched on foot and by air using uncrewed aircraft,” Bates said. “Folsom Fire was also called to search using boats but could not locate him before weather forced the teams to pause the searching.”
Search efforts resumed the following day and continued into Monday, with California State Parks assuming the lead role in coordinating search operations on the lake.
“In addition to the search, we have had detectives investigating to continue to locate the missing man or any information about what may have happened,” Bates said.
Over the weekend, local resident Chris Cary Sr. publicly identified his adult son, Christopher Cary Jr., as the man who had gone missing. Cary Sr. shared that he last heard from his son, a well-known tattoo artist, on Dec. 27, and later learned that his son’s bike had been found along the trail near Black Miner’s Bar. During the search, the father kept friends updated through social media.
While authorities have not officially released the identity of the man recovered Monday until confirmation by the coroner, Cary Sr. shared just after noon on Monday, sadly, that his son’s body had been located, continuing updates he had shared with the community during the search over the last two days as he hoped his son would turn up someplace unharmed.
“Just wanted to update everyone, they have pulled my son from Lake Natomas,” Cary Sr. wrote. “The most beautiful thing I have ever made is gone.”
The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office is now conducting the investigation to officially identify the body and the specific cause of death as investigators continue to investigate the sequence of events that may have led up to his passing. Officials said no additional information is being released at this time as the case remains under active investigation.
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