NYS DEC: Forest Rangers assist in recovery of man reported missing in Lewis County, who was found deceased in Watson

WATSON- The New York State DEC says a team of Forest Rangers assisted in the recovery of a Lewis County man, who was reported missing this month and unfortunately found deceased.

Search efforts began on the weekend of October 13 for the 39-year-old subject, who the DEC did not identify in their latest Forest Ranger Highlights release.

The DEC said in their latest press release that the subject had a history of mental illness. The search effort lasted for the next few days, until the man’s body was discovered in the Independence River Wild Forest.

Although the DEC did not provide a name for the man, authorities from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office originally identified the missing person as Cody M. Johnson.

His dog was right by his side once search teams discovered his body.

NYS DEC image.