EXETER >> The body of a man found floating in the Schuylkill River has been identified by authorities.
Police and the Berks County Coroner’s Office have positively identified the body as that of James F. Hegedus, 65, of Exeter. Hegedus was found approximately a half-mile east of the Gibraltar Road bridge over the river, near the Exeter Township sewer right-of-way.
On March 12 at around 1:40 p.m., Exeter Township Police were called to respond to a report of a body that was found floating in the river. The remains were discovered by kayakers who had been searching for Bradley Verret, a 26- year-old Kenhorst man who was last seen in the area of Trooper Thorn’s restaurant on Feb. 7, according to an Exeter Township Police Department press release.
Authorities quickly determined, however, that the remains pulled from the river were likely those of a white male in his mid- to late-50s or early 60s after he was found with no identification.
After positively identifying the body as Hegedus, the Berks County Coroner’s Office issued a ruling that Hegedus’ manner of death was a suicide.
