The Benton County Sheriff’s Office released photographs this week of two tattoos found on an unidentified man whose body was recovered from the Willamette River 10 days ago, hoping the distinctive images will help solve the mystery of his identity.
Deputies pulled the man from the water on Nov. 29 near on the west side of the river by Hyak Park after a river-goer reported seeing a body floating in the water. Investigators estimate the man had been in the water for at least a week before his recovery.
Despite their efforts, the individual does not match any known missing persons in the region, prompting investigators to take the unusual step of releasing images of his tattoos.
The two tattoos include:
- A color tattoo on the upper left arm depicting a sea-goat figure, possibly representing the Capricorn zodiac symbol (Dec. 22–Jan. 19).
- A black-and-white tattoo on the right ribcage featuring a jester, with the phrase “Life’s all fun & games until the joke is on You” — written in cursive
Investigators confirmed these are the only two tattoos on the individual. The man also has a distinct scar located above the navel. His race remains undetermined at this time.
The sheriff’s office typically withholds such personal details to allow families to receive information privately. However, due to the absence of leads and the urgent need to identify the individual, investigators believe releasing the tattoo images may help bring closure to the case.
Anyone who recognizes the tattoos or has information that may help identify the individual is urged to contact the Benton County Sheriff’s Office at BentonCoSheriff@bentoncountyor.gov or call 541-753-8477 (TIPS).
The man’s name will be released once identification is confirmed and next of kin have been notified, BCSO said.