By Megan V. Williams
Wilmington, NC – Police say they have no identifying information for the man whose body was recovered south of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge Wednesday night.
The body is a black man, estimated between the ages of 30 and 50. The John Doe was found wearing khaki pants and black shoes. Officers say his only identifying mark is a US Marines tattoo on his left upper bicep.
An autopsy revealed the man drowned, with no sign of foul play. Officers say it will take a month to get results from toxicology tests.
Wilmington police sergeant Warren Kennedy says his department handles an average of two drowned bodies a year in Cape Fear River:
"It's a swift river, it's a dark river. There's a lot of things there that people don't realize. Even for the very best of swimmers, the river can be a lot like the ocean and I think people underestimate that."
Police say they are checking missing person reports and ask anyone who might know the man to call the Wilmington Police department at 343-3600.