Body of missing man found near Sullivan Soccer Park in Washington City

ST. GEORGE — While the Sullivan Soccer Park was packed with people gathered to watch and play soccer across the park’s numerous fields Friday afternoon, police officers quietly arrived and searched for a man who had been reported missing earlier that day. They found the missing man’s body near the Virgin River.

Washington City Police Chief Jason Williams was at the scene along with a handful of officers in a small, roped-off area on the path that runs along the Virgin River by the park.

“We were notified earlier today on reports of a missing person, which led us here to Sullivan Park later this afternoon,” Williams said.

Police had been led to the park by pings received from the missing man’s OnStar car system and then his mobile phone, the chief said.

“We later found a male with a self-inflicted gunshot wound down toward the river,” Williams said.

Washington City Police officers at the Sullivan Soccer Park in Washington City near where the body of a missing man was found along the Virgin River, Washington City, Utah, Feb. 19, 2021 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

The man’s body was not readily visible from the park or the path as a large hedge of vegetation runs along the path, separating the park proper from sight of the Virgin River.

The man the police found matched the profile and description of the missing man given to authorities by family members, Williams said, adding there ware no signs of foul play connected to the incident.

The small number of police officers remained at the park to process the scene and waited for the coroner to arrive to collect the man’s body.

The police presence largely appeared to go unnoticed by those gathered at the park at the time.

However, due to the high number of people in the area, the police roped off a point along the path that led to the river bank.

The Washington City Police Department extends its condolences to the man’s family, Williams said.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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