73-year-old on motorcycle trip stopped contacting family, CA cops say. Then body found

Daniella Segura
·2 min read
65

The body of a man who vanished while on an out-of-state motorcycle trip has been found, California deputies say.

William Robert Knight, 73, who was “on a motorcycle trip to Idaho,” was found dead in a river south of Alturas, about 350 miles northeast of his San Ramon home, the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 5 news release posted on Facebook.

Knight had been contacting family until Thursday, May 30, deputies said. At the time, he told family he was in Lakeview, Oregon.

He didn’t speak with family on Friday, the day before his planned return date to San Ramon, according to deputies.

“He’s an excellent, experienced, rider who generally keeps in touch daily,” a friend wrote on Facebook. “He was well equipped with (a) new phone, new tires, etc.”

Family reported Knight missing on Sunday, June 2, when he didn’t show, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies said they began searching an area in Alturas where Knight’s cellphone last pinged on Monday, June 3.

Multiple agencies and Knight’s family searched the following day as well, the sheriff’s office said.

A motorist called 911 at about 6 p.m., saying they found a body, identified as Knight, in the river near Highway 395, deputies said.

Later that day, deputies said Knight’s motorcycle was also found in the river near where he was found dead.

“Just lost (a) good friend and hiking partner,” a Facebook user wrote alluding to Knight’s death. “Never met a trail or road he didn’t like.”

“He will be missed by many,” another friend wrote on Facebook.

The sheriff’s office said the California Highway Patrol is investigating the accident, adding that his cause and manner of death are also still under investigation.

Alturas is about a 300-mile drive northeast from Sacramento.

Duo tending to cattle find skull, WY cops say. It belonged to missing Idaho man

Fisherman finds skull of missing man whose death is ‘suspicious,’ PA officials say

19-year-old found dead near Illinois River during fishing trip with dogs, reports say