Fisherman finds body of suspected Augusta teen 30 miles down river, sheriff says

A body found by a fisherman on Saturday afternoon in Cowley County is thought to be the Augusta teenager who jumped in the river 30-plus miles away on May 6, according to Butler County Sheriff Kelly Herzet.

“Well, we suspect but it’s pretty decomposed,” Herzet said. “Not 100% (sure) but about 99.9%”

The body is being taken to the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center for identification. Herzet expects to know definitively next week. Herzet said no one was missing in Butler County and didn’t know of anyone missing in Cowley County.

The 19-year-old Augusta boy has been missing since jumping in the Walnut River in Butler County on May 6. A landowner reported finding a shirt and cellphone along the bank of the river and called police.

An officer who responded to the call spotted a group of teens, ranging in age from 14 to 18, in the area and questioned them.

The three boys wouldn’t say anything about the man who jumped in, but a girl told police that the boy had jumped into the river and never came up, Herzet said.

Herzet said the water was running fast; concrete and rebar can be found in the water there as well.

The teen took off his shirt and placed down his cellphone before walking out on the dam and jumping into the river, Herzet said. When he didn’t reappear, the other three boys left and went into town where they got the girl. They were headed back to the river when the officer stopped them for questioning.