Bodies found in Portland area rivers ‘pretty normal occurrence’

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Nine bodies have been recovered in Portland metro rivers so far in 2025, including a kayaker who disappeared over the Willamette Falls in April.

The body of Marcelus Rodriguez, who jumped out of his kayak and tried to swim to shore before disappearing over Willamette Falls late on April 12, was found Sunday along the shore in a Gladstone park. He was 20.

As the temperatures keep rising, officials said, there will likely be more bodies recovered in area waters.

Eight of the bodies were recovered by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and one by Clackamas County deputies in the past two months.

Those bodies were found:

• April 13: Willamette River near Swan Island
• April 15: Multnomah Channel
• April 18: Willamette River near Terminal 4
• April 24: Columbia River near Hayden Island
• April 30: Willamette River near Terminal 4
• May 3: Willamette River near Steel Bridge
• May 3: Columbia River near moorage off NE Marine Drive
• May 4: Willamette River near Cathedral Park

Portland Fire & Rescue assisted on search missions for these bodies and said there’s a reason so many bodies are resurfacing at this time.

“With the temperature change, you get water density changes and buoyancy factors change within the bodies that are in the river at the river bottom,” said PFR Lt. Rick Graves. “And as the density changes, as the buoyancy factor changes, they just simply float to the surface It’s a pretty normal occurrence for us.”

Graves said bodies will be on the surface of the river for a period of time “and then they’ll just basically sink directly down. In fact, if you have a spot (where someone was) last seen, you could go downstream about 10-12 feet and go straight down. Oftentimes that’s right where they’ll be.”

And as temperatures rise, more people get out onto the river to fish or boat, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said. That brings more eyes on the water to spot a body.

Graves also said the big boats that come in for Fleet Week “stirs up the entire bottom. That sometimes will allow a few more bodies to rise to the surface.”

Authorities also told KOIN 6 News this number of bodies found this year is common.

In 2017, the sheriff’s office said they recover an average of 30-50 bodies from area rivers each year. KOIN 6 News asked if that number has increased over time and have not yet had a response.