The Nevada County Sheriff's Office announced on social media that human remains were found along the South Yuba River on Tuesday morning. The remains were discovered during the search for missing New Yorker Rebecca Heinowitz. A volunteer from the Nevada County Sheriff's Search & Rescue used a drone to locate the body at around 10:58 a.m. on a remote, rocky shoreline about 1.5 miles downstream from Jones Bar in Nevada City, as reported by the Nevada County Sheriff's Office.
The recovery took place in rough terrain that was hard to reach on foot, requiring a joint rescue effort. The Nevada County Sheriff's Office received help from the CHP - Air Operations helicopter, the Nevada County Consolidated Fire Department Helicopter Rescue Technician team, and State Parks. A deputy sheriff and a Nevada County Consolidated Fire Department team member were lowered to the site, retrieved the remains, and were lifted out by helicopter in the afternoon.
Heinowitz, 50, was last seen on May 24, in the Yuba River near the South Yuba Bridge. Search efforts included drones, K9 units, off-highway vehicles, and teams on foot. Human remains were recently found, but "Due to the condition of the remains, it will take several weeks before positive identification can be made," according to the Nevada County Sheriff's Office on their Facebook page. The investigation is ongoing.
