2 missing kayakers found dead

BENTONVILLE — The bodies of two missing kayakers have been found in Beaver Lake.

Lt. Shannon Jenkins, a spokeswoman with the Benton County sheriff’s office, announced Sunday that the bodies of Chuck Morris, 47, and his son Charley Morris, 20, were recovered.

The Kansas City, Mo., men were reported missing March 16 after they did not return from a kayaking trip on the lake in the Lost Bridge area.

The Benton County sheriff’s office searched for several days before ending large-scale search efforts.

Deputies found the two kayaks and a jacket in the first days of the search.

The Carroll County Mennonite Disaster Service and the Christian Aid Ministries Search and Rescue Team of Tennessee searched Saturday, Jenkins said in a news release. They were able to use an underwater remotely operated vehicle in a challenging environment that exceeded 180 feet, she said.

The recovery efforts ended after 24 days thanks to the technology and efforts by all personnel, Jenkins said in the release.

Jenkins said Benton County Sheriff Shawn Holloway, along with the family of the Morrises, would like to thank all the men and women who donated their time and efforts to help bring closure to the family and recover the missing men.

“Our heart goes out the family of Chuck and Charley Morris and we are thankful today that we can help bring closure,” Jenkins said.

Chuck Morris was a percussionist for the band Lotus, described as an instrumental electronic jam band on the group’s Wikipedia page.

A statement on behalf of the Morris family was posted Sunday on the band’s Facebook page.

“Our family was informed by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office that Charley Morris has been found,” the post read. “We have concluded the cause of his death was drowning.”

The band will have benefit concerts to support the Morris family and to honor Chuck Morris and his son. The concerts will be April 21 and 22 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver. The third concert will be May 5 at XL LIVE in Harrisburg, Pa., and the fourth concert will be May 6 at The Capitol Theatre in New York.

“Thank you all for the outpouring of support from around the world — we feel it and love you just as much,” the post on the band’s Facebook page read. “We look forward to meeting many of the Lotus fans at the upcoming benefit concerts in Denver, Harrisburg and New York.”

Tickets can be purchased at lotusvibes.com.