The multi-day search for a missing paddleboarder at Saguaro Lake concluded with the recovery of a body, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) confirmed on Wednesday. The body is believed to be that of Richard Powers, a 65-year-old local man known for his athleticism and familiarity with the waters. Powers was reported missing since early Sunday morning after he did not return from his usual paddleboarding routine.
Friends of the missing man started to get worried when Powers did not come back by his typical 7 a.m. return time. As an experienced paddleboarder who took his safety protocols seriously, his absence signaled potential distress. According to FOX10 Phoenix, his friends suggested that he may have "suffered a medical episode." MCSO extended their "heartfelt thanks" to the Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue (BORSTAR) unit and their canines, which they say were instrumental in narrowing the search area that eventually led to locating Powers.
The body was found in the vicinity of Captain’s Nook, near where Powers' paddleboard had been discovered by a boater, still carrying his cellphone and shoes. His last sighting was around 5:45 a.m. Sunday at boat ramp 1 in the Tonto National Forest, as reported by AZFamily.
While his body has been found, the mystery surrounding Powers' cause of death continues as the investigation persists. "The cause and manner of death remain under investigation, and no further information is available at this time," MCSO mentioned in a statement obtained by FOX10 Phoenix.
