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Body found in Tennessee River in Alabama identified as missing Chattanooga man

Donna Thornton
Gadsden Times

Editor's note: This story references suicide. If you are at risk, please stop here and contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for support at 1-800-273-8255.

The body recovered from the Tennessee River near Guntersville Dam Monday afternoon has been identified as a man believed to have jumped from a bridge in Chattanooga on Jan. 29, according to Marshall County Sheriff Phil Sims.

The man is identified as George E. Koontz of Chattanooga.

On Jan. 29, witnesses saw a white male matching Koontz’s description jump from the Walnut Street Bridge in downtown Chattanooga.

Koontz’s family had reported him missing that same day, according to Marshall County Assistant Chief Deputy Steve Guthrie.

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It’s believed that the heavy rains of the past few weeks -- and the fact that flood gates have remained open along the Tennessee River -- allowed Koontz’s body to travel from Chattanooga to Guntersville.

That’s a total of 19 days and 122 miles by way of the river to where it was spotted below the Guntersville Dam Monday afternoon.

He had to pass through two locks along that route -- the Nickajack Dam in Marion County, Tennessee, and the Guntersville Dam.

The Walnut Street Bridge where he was believed to have jumped was the first bridge to connect the downtown area to North Chattanooga.

A number of agencies were involved in the investigation: the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Valley Authority police, Guntersville Rescue Squad, Chattanooga Police Department and the Marshall County Coroner’s Office.

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