UPDATE—Body Found in Submerged Car Near Pasco’s Chiawana Boat Launch Friday

UPDATE---new information released, including identity of person found in water see below our story.

Pasco Police, as of Friday morning, are treating it as a homcide.

   Body Found in Partially Submerged Car at Chiawana Boat Launch

Around 8 AM Pasco Police and their investigative unit were called to the Chiawana Boat Launch at Road 86 and Chiawana Park Road.

A fisherman who was launching his boat spotted a mostly submerged car with a body inside.

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Pasco Police, according to the Tri-City Herald, said divers confirmed there was a body inside, but their ID or gender were not yet determined, due to murky water.  Efforts are being made to retrieve the vehicle after necessary evidenc-gathering is completed while still in the water.

According to Pasco PD Captain Bill Parramore, the discovery is being treated as a homicide so far. No other information was released, Pasco PD said on their Facebook anyone who may have any information is urged to call (509)-545-3421, all leads can be confidential.

 Recently, a Number of Bodies Have been Pulled From the River

This is the latest in a number of 'mysterious' recoveries of deceased people from the Columbia. Last December Pasco PD released a new call to the public, seeking leads about the ID of a man who was found near Schlagel Park in September of 2023.

The man was found along the shoreline, about 500 feet east of the Cable Bridge on the Pasco Side.  The 5' 7" tall man appeared to have been in the water for several days, had no personal effects on him that would have helped with his ID.

As of last December, still no definite progress in determine who he was. That investigation continues.

UPDATE---

 According to Pasco PD and other sources, the person found in the vehicle this morning near the Chiawana Boat Launch in Pasco (Friday morning) has been ID'd as man on trial for multiple counts of child sexual assaults . A Pasco spokesman said until further notice the death of 47-year-old Jason P. Watts will be treated as a homicide. 

   His death comes on the 2nd day of court proceedings, after he didn't show up in court this AM, and the news of his identification was made public, Presiding Judge Bronson Brown informed the jury of what happened and the case was dismissed.