City of Santa Rosa, CA, CivicReady Public Safety Alerts & Notifications

SRPD News Release: Case Update - Deceased man located in Piner Creek has been identified

Case Update: Deceased man located in Piner Creek has been identified

The decedent has been identified as William Fowler, a 64-year-old resident of Santa Rosa. Fowler’s cause of death is still under investigation by the Sonoma County Coroner; however, no foul play is suspected, and his death does not appear to be storm-related.

More information may be released later when the Coroner’s report is complete.

Santa Rosa Police Department case number 24-13576.

Media inquiries can be made to Sgt. Patricia Seffens at 707-543-3634 or at pseffesn@srcity.org.

*ORIGINAL MESSAGE*

Deceased man located in Piner Creek

On November 23, 2024, at approximately 8:41 am, the Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) Communications Center received a call from a community member walking along the Piner Creek Trail who reported a possibly deceased person in Piner Creek near Centurion Drive. SRPD officers and Santa Rosa Fire Department (SRFD) personnel responded to the area and began searching for the person in the creek. At approximately 8:59 am, SRFD personnel located a deceased man in the creek just south of Guerneville Road. SRFD personnel removed the decedent from the creek and the Sonoma County Coroner’s Office was contacted.

Due to the lack of information available about how the man came to be in the water or his cause of death, a detective with the SRPD Violent Crimes Investigations Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation. The decedent is a Caucasian male adult believed to be in his mid-60’s. His name may be released at a later date when his identification has been confirmed and next of kin notified. The exact cause and time of death is currently under investigation by the Coroner. Additional details may be released at a later date pending the results of the Coroner’s investigation.