The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that a vehicle was found in the Rappahannock River just off the city dock in Fredericksburg this morning at approximately 10:40 am. A body was found inside the vehicle.

At 10:40 am today, Tuesday, November 24, 2015 a citizen at the city dock in Fredericksburg notified the Fredericksburg Police that a car was submerged, in the river, just down from the city dock. Fredericksburg Police responded and immediately notified the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office which has jurisdiction covering the Rappahannock River in the region. Members of the Sheriff’s Office responded along with members of the Fredericksburg Fire & Rescue Department and units from the Stafford Fire & Rescue Department. Divers from the Fredericksburg Fire & Rescue Department located a body inside of the car. The body was recovered and is being taken to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Richmond to determine the official cause of death.

The body has been identified as Howard Shrieves, Jr., age 80 of Bloxom, Virginia. Mr. Shrieves was reported missing by the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, November 19, 2015. Stafford Detectives are investigating why Mr. Shrieves was in the Fredericksburg area and how the car ended up in the river. If anyone saw Mr. Shrieves in the Fredericksburg area from Thursday, November 19 through Monday, November 23 they are asked to call Detective Todd Nosal at 540-658-4492.