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Body found along river

PARKERSBURG – The body of Nick R. Blackburn Jr., 29, of Parkersburg was found Wednesday afternoon near the Little Kanawha River on Depot Street, city police said.

The cause of death has not been determined, officials said.

At about 2:50 p.m. Wednesday the Parkersburg Police Department responded to the 600 block of Depot Street in reference to a deceased body. When police arrived, they found the man lying face down and partially clothed, officials said.

The man’s body was found by employees with the Department of Highways at the rear of the DOH property at 620 Depot St., according to police reports. Police said the employees observed what they believed to be a deceased person lying on the property between the Little Kanawha River and the rear property of the DOH.

Parkersburg Police Chief Joe Martin said the man was living in Parkersburg.

Preliminary investigation results have indicated Blackburn had been reported missing to the Parkersburg Police Department on Monday. The person who reported Blackburn missing said he had been missing since Friday, Feb. 1, police said.

Police detectives interviewed the man’s family and they identified the body as that of Blackburn, Martin said. There were no obvious signs of trauma on the body, police said. Blackburn was transported to the West Virginia Medical Examiner’s Office in Charleston for an autopsy.

Police are asking that anyone with information regarding the case contact the Parkersburg Police Department at 304-424-8444.

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