Body of missing North Carolina man found near Palisades Reservoir after week-long search

STAR VALLEY, Wyo (KIFI) — The search for a missing North Carolina man ended over the weekend after a group of campers discovered his body along the shore of the Palisades Reservoir on Saturday, July 11.

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office assisted in recovering the body of 55-year-old Tory J. Raether, of Charlotte, N.C., ending a week-long search that began over the Fourth of July holiday.

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According to Star Valley Search and Rescue (SVS&R) Commander Matt McMurdo, on Saturday, July 4th, Raether was part of a group recreating near the Sheep Gulch Boat ram when he jumped into the river without a life jacket. Investigators believe he was quickly caught in a swift, powerful current and began struggling. While members of his group made several desperate attempts to pull him to safety, the current ultimately swept him away.

A call was made to the Star Valley Search and Rescue team and Alpine Volunteer Fire Department shortly after 7:00pm on Saturday, July 4, reporting that a man from North Carolina had fallen into the Snake River near Sheep Gulch near Alpine. VS&R Commander Matt McMurdo said the group the man was with was enjoying the Fourth of July festivities at Jumping Rock, a popular spot to jump into the Snake River above the Sheep Gulch Boat Ramp, roughly 3 1/2 miles east of Alpine.

The initial search began that night, but had to be suspended due to the extreme safety risks of operating on the river after dark.

The search continued throughout the following week until Raether’s body was found on Saturday by campers along the reservoir shoreline, miles downstream from where he initially entered the water.

Editor’s Note: This story was adapted from an original on-air broadcast report with the assistance of AI. All content is thoroughly reviewed and verified for accuracy by the Local News 8 editorial team.