Body Found in Willamette River Was Shoplift Suspect Who Fled Capture

CORVALLIS -- A body found along the Willamette River in Benton County has been identified as an alleged shoplifter who
had eluded police.

William C. Griffith's body was discovered Sunday, and Benton County authorities say the Oregon State Police Crime Lab identified the 37-year-old through his fingerprints.

Griffith was last seen Oct. 30, when he entered the river to escape security guards who believed he had stolen athletic shoes from a Eugene store.

Eugene Police spokeswoman Melinda Kletzok says officers and others tried to persuade Griffith to return to shore. But he was carried downstream and swept underwater.