COOS COUNTY, Ore. – A man who was reported missing on October 2 was found dead Monday.
The Coos County Sheriff’s Office said 78-year-old Dr. Richard Ellerby was last seen alive by a jogger, who reported seeing the elderly man near his mailbox in the West Catching area at 9:30 a.m.
The days following Ellerby’s disappearance were marked by extensive searches by air and land, the sheriff’s office said. On October 4, numerous search and rescue partners from as far away as California joined the effort to find the missing doctor.
On October 8, CCSO said Ellerby was found dead in a wooded area about 600 yards from his home. Hypothermia has tentatively been cited as a cause of death.
The sheriff’s office explained, “Most people think of hypothermia being when the weather is extremely cold. However, in many circumstances each person is different and the past week we have seen temperatures dipping into the 40s at night in places. Coupled with the heavy dew, fog and rain these factors contribute to lowering the body’s core temperature. Dr. Ellerby was wearing a pair of sweatpants, a blue t-shirt, socks and loafers when he went missing and as he was found. This is inadequate to keep the core temperature up in the human body.”
Dr. Ellerby’s family has been notified about the death.
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