Police have identified the man whose body was discovered Friday morning by two fishermen in the water of a local river.
On Monday, Elizabethton Police Department Capt. Joy Shoun announced the deceased man had been positively identified as Henry D. Gibbs, age 32, of 114 Vanover Road, Johnson City, which is located in the Sinking Creek community.
“The cause of death has not yet been determined and the investigation into the matter is on-going at this time,” Shoun said.
On Friday morning around 7:50 a.m., officers of the Elizabethton Police Department responded tot he Watauga River near the intersection of West Elk Avenue and the Elizabethton Highway on the west end of the city after receiving a report that a body had been found.
“Local fishermen had discovered what was believed to be a body in the water, near the river bank,” Shoun said. “At that time officers were directed to the area and located the deceased. No identification was discovered at that time and the identity of the deceased was not immediately known.”
During the course of the investigation officers were able to identify Gibbs, Shoun said.
In addition to the Elizabethton Police Department, members of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office and Carter County Rescue Squad also responded to the scene along with the medical examiner’s office and Carter County Coroner Benny Colbaugh. Members of the Rescue Squad’s Technical Rescue Team assisted investigators with the recovery and removal of Gibbs’ body, which has been sent for an autopsy to determine the cause of his death.