Body found in river identified as missing Dayton man

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

A body found by a jogger Monday in the Great Miami River has been identified as a 33-year-old missing Dayton man, said Mark Hess, chief of public safety at Five Rivers MetroParks.

Roderick Gardner was last seen on March 29, according to Dayton police.

There were no signs of trauma, Hess said, but they are still waiting on toxicology results from the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.

Roderick Gardner

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>> RELATED: Missing: Police seek 33-year-old Dayton man last seen Sunday

>> ID pending after jogger spots body in Great Miami River near Miamisburg

A jogger called 911 just before 4:30 p.m. Monday after he saw a man’s body floating in the water near the dam off the Great Miami River Recreational Trail near Shephard Road and Dayton Cincinnati Pike in Miami Twp.

Five Rivers MetroParks rangers said the body, later identified as Gardner, was found in the water about 10 feet off the shore of the river, which was swollen from recent rains.

It is not known where or how Gardner entered the water.

The case is still under investigation.

We will update this story as more information is available.

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