An Illinois man whose physique was pulled from the Chicago River amid a startling spate of water deaths was discovered to have drowned, although the way through which he died was dominated “undetermined,” officers stated.
Richard Garcia was discovered to have drowned within the river after disappearing from his South Side house in March, a spokesperson for the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office advised The Post.
The 46-year-old’s physique was recovered April 13 from the waters close to the Columbus Drive Bridge.
His family members stated he was nonetheless carrying his FedEx uniform when his stays have been positioned.
While the trigger is now identified, investigators have thus far been unable to find out the way of his loss of life, which ranges from murder or suicide to unintended, pure or, as on this case, “undetermined.”
Users on a Facebook web page devoted to Garcia’s reminiscence referenced his psychological well being historical past and their perception that he took his personal life.
Garcia was certainly one of no less than 16 individuals whose our bodies have been faraway from Chicago-area waterways for the reason that starting of 2022. The method in no less than six of these deaths was listed as “undetermined.”
Victims recovered from Chicago-area waters:
Noah Enos, discovered June 2023. Cause/method: pendingUnidentified girl, discovered May 2023. Cause/method: unavailableRichard Garcia, discovered April 2023. Cause: drowning, method: undeterminedSeamus Gray, discovered April 2023. Cause: drowning, method: undeterminedJoel Orduno, discovered March 2023. Cause: drowning, method: undeterminedAnthony Rucker, discovered February 2023. Cause: drowning, method: suicideKrzysztof Szubert, discovered December 2022. Cause: drowning, method: accidentPeter Salvino, discovered December 2022. Cause: drowning, method: accidentHayward Brown, June 2022. Cause: drowning, method: accidentDaniel Sotelo, discovered May 2022. Cause: drowning, method: undeterminedNatally Brookson, discovered May 2022. Cause/method: undeterminedKarina Pena Alanis, discovered April 2022. Cause: drowning, method: suicideYuet Tsang, discovered April 2022: Cause: drowning, method: undeterminedUnidentified girl, discovered April 2022. Cause/method: unavailableUnidentified man, discovered April 2022. Cause/method: unavailableKathleen Martin, discovered March 2022. Cause: drowning, method: undetermined
One of the newest to be pulled from the water was 26-year-old Noah Enos. Enos’ physique was recovered June 17, 5 days after he vanished following a rock live performance at a neighborhood music corridor, the Salt Shed, roughly a block from the place he was discovered.
Officials have but to launch the trigger and method of his loss of life.
His household is working with non-public investigators “to seek out justice for Noah,” his father, Steven Michael Enos, wrote on a GoFundMe web page.
Enos’ girlfriend, Nicole Wijs, fought again tears throughout a vigil final month as she stated: “I do know Noah wasn’t the primary one to go lacking and be discovered within the river, and I certain as s—t hope that he’s the final.”
