PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria County Coroner Jamie Harwood says there was no obvious trauma on the body of a man found Monday partially submerged in the Illinois River.
Harwood says he’s completed an autopsy of James Byrd, 64, of Peoria — found just before 3:00 p.m. Monday in the downtown Peoria area of the river.
Harwood says the preliminary cause of death appears to be drowning, though it’s still not clear why or how Byrd was in the water.
He says the manner of death remains under investigation.
Peoria Police are also investigating.
