In response to questions and concerns about the seemingly large number of bodies recently recovered from Portland’s rivers, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office shared Monday, May 5, that the rate of body discoveries has not been out of the ordinary.

According to Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office Deputy John Plock, three bodies were recovered from the Willamette and Columbia Rivers just on Saturday, May 3.

“Since April 1, 2025, eight bodies have been recovered. Compared to April and May 2024, six bodies were recovered. The number is not unusual, though it is tragic,” the sheriff’s office noted in a press release May 5. “The Medical Examiner continues to investigate and finalize the cause and manner of death. However, the majority of the eight bodies recovered this April and May are the result of drowning caused by accidents or suicide.”

While the sheriff’s office used two full months in 2024 as a point of comparison to the recent discoveries, the first noted body recovery last month occurred on April 13 and the last three on May 3 — a span of three weeks.

The sheriff’s office declined to share how many of the eight bodies constituted a “majority” that died by suicide or accidental drownings, stating the medical examiner’s office did not share a specific number. The sheriff’s office also declined to share what the other manners of death may have been.

Additionally, the medical examiner’s office declined to state the cause of death for the recent body recoveries.
The press release further stated that the sheriff’s office does not believe suspicious circumstances were at play or that the deaths were linked.

“Mental health and suicide impact many people in our community every day,” the sheriff’s office stated in the release. “If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you’re not alone. Help is available by calling our texting 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline.”

According to the sheriff’s office, there are a number of factors that can lead to bodies turning up in the river, including water temperatures, river currents and an increase in recreational activity on the water.

In addition to the eight bodies recently recovered by the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, on Sunday, May 4, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office recovered the body of missing kayaker Marcelus Angelo Rodriguez from the Willamette River near Meldrum Bar Park in Gladstone. Rodriguez went missing while kayaking late the night of April 12. Multiple witnesses reported Rodriguez falling over Willamette Falls and never resurfacing.