A body found Wednesday floating on the shore of the Santa Ana River near Huntington Beach has been identified as that of a 20-year-old Santa Ana man, authorities said today.
Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, said a pair of fishermen found the body of Johnny Sandoval at 2:05 p.m. Wednesday. An autopsy was conducted, but the cause of death has not been determined, Amormino said.
Sandoval’s body had no obvious signs of trauma and may have been in the water for several days, Amormino said. The victim was wearing only shorts and a thin T-shirt. Authorities suspect that he may have been swimming or rafting in the river during last week’s storms.
“The water’s cold,” Amormino said. “It’s been high and the water is cold, so it’s possible.”
—Michael Miller in Orange County
Photo: KTLA-TV Channel 5