By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The Lewis County Coroner’s Office confirmed that 26-year-old Jessy Hamilton died of drowning following an autopsy yesterday.
Hamilton was found floating in the Chehalis River in Fort Borst Park on Saturday morning shortly after police were called there in response to a report he was missing.
Centralia police detectives said this weekend it wasn’t clear who the Centralia resident was with, but noted he was autistic and his disorder was such that he was supervised, or should have been supervised, at all times.
Detective Patty Finch said they had numerous people to track down to interview.
Initial reports to 911 were the missing man was 23 years old, but Finch said law enforcement’s database showed he was 26. Coroner Warren McLeod said he confirmed with Hamilton’s mother he was 26.
McLeod said he is leaning towards accidental as the manner of death, but the pathologist won’t finalize that until the results of toxicology tests come back.
That can take as long as 12 weeks, McLeod said.
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For background, read “Missing person found dead in Chehalis River” from Saturday May 30, 2015, here [1]