Coroner IDs body found in Great Miami River as West Alexandria man

The body of a Preble County man missing since early Friday was recovered Sunday from the Great Miami River.

Cole Estes, 35, of West Alexandria, was identified Monday by Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Kent Harshbarger. His cause and manner of death have not been determined.

A passerby called 911 after spotting a body, identified as Estes, just after 9 a.m. Sunday between the Main Street overpass and the West Carrollton low dam in Moraine, according to the Moraine Police Division.

ExploreBody recovered in Great Miami River following multi-day search

Authorities declined to release the man’s identity Sunday, but said “positive identification of the male has been made as the missing person reported to have entered the water near West Monument Avenue early Friday morning,” according to a news release from Dayton Fire Capt. Brad French, spokesman for the department.

Authorities had been searching for Estes since a woman’s 911 call around 1:15 a.m. Friday. The woman said she wasn’t sure whether he fell in or jumped in, according to dispatch records.

Dayton Fire Department’s water rescue teams searched for the victim for about 20 hours over three days. Friends and family also walked along the riverbanks trying to find him.

Additional help came from Dayton Police, Five Rivers MetroParks, West Carrollton Police, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Fire, Christian Aid Ministries, Deana Hudgins with the Center for Forensic Training and Education, Moraine Fire and Police and the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office.

Five Rivers MetroParks and the coroner’s office are investigating.