RedactedNarrative: On Sunday, June 12, 2016, at approximately 11:24 AM, the Livingston County Sheriff''s Department received a 911 call in-reference to an unoccupied canoe, floating on the Vermilion River, roughly 1/2 mile north of the Manville Bridge.  Livingston County SPD Sgt.1 responded and met with Subject1 at the Manville Bridge access.  He escorted Sgt.1, via watercraft, upriver to an unoccupied 15 foot canoe, with a small outboard motor affixed.  
  
  The canoe contained fishing gear, along with boating equipment, and showed signs of recent use (hook baited with fresh bait).   A second subject, Subject2, reported seeing a white male, fishing from the canoe, earlier in the morning at around 7:30 AM, upriver from where the vessel was later found unoccupied.  
  
  The on-scene investigation identified VICTIM as the potential canoe operator.  Contact was made with VICTIM''s wife.  She verified VICTIM went fishing on the Vermilion River, early in the morning, and provided a description of his canoe along with a bar stool VICTIM commonly used in his canoe.
   
  Personnel from the Livingston County Sheriff''s Department, IDNR Conservation Police, Reading Fire Department, Pontiac Fire Department, Cornell Fire Department, Long Point Fire Department, Hudson Dive Team, and Ottawa River Rescue responded to the scene.  I arrived at approximately 3:05 PM and met with the Sgt.1.  He provided me with an overview of the situation to include: incident synopsis, verbal description of the scene, current information known, and items victimed / recovered by searchers.  Incident command, Sgt.1, and I coordinated with volunteers, and family, to conduct a water surface search along with a ground search.  Attempts were made to contact family, friends, known associates, co-workers, and places he frequented.  
  
  Additionally, a family member occupied VICTIM''s residence in-case he returned home.  CPO arrived on-scene with his DNR-issued boat and side-scan sonar.  A volunteer fire fighter who was familiar with the Vermilion River accompanied CPO and I upriver, from the Manville Boat Launch, to VICTIM''s unoccupied canoe.  We conducted a scene assessment, drift tests, took photographs, victimed GPS coordinates with side-scan sonar for items relevant to the investigation, and began sonar operations [MAP #1].  At approximately 5:37 PM, a body was located in the Vermilion River, approximately 86 yards downriver from VICTIM''s canoe, by sonar [Hudson Dive Team and IDNR][N 41 02.583 / W088 47.828  water temp 79.4  Water depth 6.2''].  The Hudson Dive Team entered the water and confirmed sonar had victimed a body.  Hudson Dive Team conducted a grid searched in the immediate area around the body in an attempt to locate potential evidence.  Nothing was discovered during the grid search.  Hudson Dive Team removed the body from the river [time documented on my wrist watch was 7:13 PM]. 
  
  The Livingston County Coroner''s Office positively identified the body.
  
  A copy of VICTIM''s Preliminary Autopsy Findings are attached to this report.  The autopsy report lists VICTIM''s cause of death as DROWNING.  Toxicology results are pending.
  
  As of June 17, 2016, this investigation suggests, it is probable VICTIM involuntarily entered the water [fell] from his canoe, was unable to recover, and drowned.
  
  In addition to Report Beam file, an IDNR OLE field report was completed documenting this investigation [2016-3-401-016B].  A copy of the complete investigative report will be provided upon request.
  