WASHINGTON — The body of a missing 80-year-old Virginia man was found in a car submerged in the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg Tuesday morning.
The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office says someone called Fredericksburg police at about 10:40 a.m. Tuesday to let them know a car was submerged in the river just down from the city dock.
Divers from the Fredericksburg Fire & Rescue Department located a body inside of the car, which was later determined to be Howard Shrieves, Jr. — a Bloxom, Virginia, man who was last seen when he left his home in Accomack County Nov. 19.
Stafford County detectives are investigating why Shrieves was in the Fredericksburg area and how the car ended up in the river. Officials are also working to determine the official cause of death.
When Shrieves was last seen, he was on his way to Pocomoke City, Maryland, but he never arrived at his destination. Officials had last tracked his cellphone northeast of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Nov. 20. When Shrieves had last been contacted by cellphone, he seemed confused and unable to give his exact location, police say.
Shrieves suffered from cognitive impairment, officials say.
As officials investigate the incident, they are asking for information from anyone who saw Mr. Shrieves in the Fredericksburg area from Nov. 19 through Monday, Nov. 23. Anyone with information can contact Detective Todd Nosal at 540-658-4492.
