PAYSON — The body of the 10th drowning victim was located on July 19. Gila County Sheriff J. Adam Shepherd announced that a deceased individual that was located on Wednesday, July 19, just below the confluence of Shoo Fly Creek and the East Verde River, has been positively identified as the 10th victim, Hector Garnica, 27, from the Phoenix Cave Creek Area.

Search and Rescue teams had continued their search for a missing 27 year old male that was part of a group of 14 individuals caught in a flash flood in the East Verde River just north of Payson on July 15. Of the 14 individuals, Julio Garcia (age 29), Esthela Atondo (age 28), Acis Garcia (age eight), Marina Garcia (age one) were rescued and survived the incident. The following individuals were found deceased over Saturday and Sunday: Jonathan Leon (age 13), Mia Garnica (age five), Emily Garnica (age three), Danial Garnica (age seven), Javier Raya-Garcia (age 19), Selia Garcia Castaneda (age 57), Erica Raya-Garcia (age two), Maribel Raya-Garcia (age 24), Maria Raya-Garcia (age 27).

This will remain an active investigation and more information may be released as it becomes available.

Shepherd would like to send his condolences and prayers to the family of this tragic accident. They are actively working to help bring closure to this incident and for this family as they begin to heal. Shepherd would like to thank the following agencies for their coordinating response: Arizona Department of Corrections, Emergency Management, Public Safety, Forestry and Fire Management, Game and Fish; Fire departments: Whispering Pines, Payson, Peoria, Central Arizona, Daisy Mountain, Hells Canyon, Groom Creek, Tempe, Sunnyside, Glendale, Prescott, Tonto Basin and Pine; Strawberry National Weather Service; Northern Gila County CERT; Payson Posse; Pruett Small Type 3 all Hazard Incident Management Team; Search and Rescue teams: Coconino, Navajo, Maricopa, and Tonto Rim SAR; Sheriff’s Offices: Apache, Coconino, Maricopa, Navajo and Pinal County; the US Forest Service; and Verizon.