Authorities have identified the man whose body was discovered in the Ohio River near Vanceburg earlier this week as 38-year-old Jason D. Frisbie of Columbus, Ohio.
According to Lewis County Sheriff Johnny Bivens, local investigators coordinated with officials in Ohio to confirm the man’s identity.
Emergency crews were dispatched around 4:37 p.m. on Monday, May 4, after Lewis County E-911 received a report of a body floating in the river near Scott Park along Front Street in Vanceburg. Authorities say a woman visiting the park with her children noticed the body in the water and contacted emergency services.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Vanceburg Police Department, Lewis County Emergency Management, the Lewis County Coroner’s Office, and the Vanceburg Fire Department.
Under the supervision of Lewis County Coroner Tony Gaydos, the body was removed from the river and later transported to the Kentucky State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort for an autopsy and official identification. Gaydos said preliminary findings did not determine a cause of death.
Lewis County Emergency Management Director Dennis Brown offered condolences to Frisbie’s family and thanked the various agencies and dispatchers who assisted throughout the investigation.
“Our thoughts remain with Mr. Frisbie’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” Brown said. He also praised the cooperation between local responders, law enforcement, the Coroner’s Office, and Ohio officials involved in the identification effort, along with dispatchers who handled numerous calls and tips from the public.
Authorities say the investigation is still ongoing, and no further details have been released.
