News Releases

Male Located Deceased in Potomac River; Detectives Ask for Public’s Help to Identify Decedent

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Detectives with the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division continue to investigate the undetermined death of an adult male who was found deceased in the Potomac River yesterday evening.  Investigators have been unable to identify the male and detectives are asking for the public’s help to identify the decedent.

Yesterday evening (Tuesday, July 21) at approximately 7:06 p.m., a resident who was kayaking on the Potomac River called the Emergency Communication Center (9-1-1) to report a possible deceased individual in the Wet Bottom area of the river (located south of Great Falls).  First responders, which included 2nd District officers, officers from the police department’s Managed Search and Operations Team (MSOT), and Fire and Rescue personnel responded to the Wet Bottom area of the Potomac River and located the deceased male in the river.

The investigation by detectives has determined the following:

• The decedent is believed to be a male
• of Indian or Pakistani descent
• in his early to mid-30s
• approximately 5’08” tall and weighing approximately 207 pounds

The decedent does not match the description of any known missing persons from Montgomery County. The decedent’s remains were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in Baltimore for an autopsy. The results of the autopsy are pending.  Once the autopsy has been completed, there may be additional information to be released.

Anyone with information about this death investigation or information about the identity of the decedent is asked to call the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070.

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Release ID: 20-251
Media Contact: Rick Goodale 
Categories: death-investigation