Missing fisherman found dead in Catawba River

TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. (AP) - A missing fisherman has been found dead in the Catawba River in Alexander County.

Seventy-five-year-old Chong Va Lee was reported missing around midday Saturday.

Multiple media outlets reported that Lee’s body was found in the water near the Oxford Dam around 7:30 a.m. Monday.

A River Bend Park ranger had found Lee’s empty canoe in the river. Lee’s body was spotted from a bridge near the dam.

Sheriff Chris Bowman said officials have not determined how Lee died. His body has been taken to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for an autopsy.