Body found in creek identified as missing man
A heavily decomposed body found floating Thursday in the Maiden Creek in Richmond Township has been identified as that of a Windsor Township man who was reported missing six months ago by a relative, state police said.
An autopsy is scheduled for Monday in Reading Hospital to determine the cause and manner of death of Ronald Garman, 60.
The body had been spotted about 3 p.m. about onequarter mile southwest of where Route 662 passed over the creek by a U.S. Department of Agriculture agent who was monitoring the goose population.
The Shoemakersville Fire Company marine search and rescue team recovered the body. A Berks County deputy coroner pronounced the person dead.
The individual was positively identified as Garman based on body tattoos and other means.
Garmen was last seen by his girlfriend around midnight Oct. 30 at their home in the 900 block of Route 143 in Windsor Township, troopers from the Hamburg station said.
His girlfriend, whose name has not been released, woke up about 3 a.m. and found the doors open and Garman nowhere to be seen. She contacted Garmen’s mother, who said she hadn’t seen him or heard from him.
Garmen’s sister eventually reported him missing on Nov. 4.
That day, several fire companies
searched surrounding the home, including nearby Christman Lake.
The search resumed the next day and involved the use of a state police helicopter, a Western Berks Fire Department drone, search teams and dive teams of the heavily wooded area along Route 143 and the Maiden Creek north of Virginville.
The body had been spotted about 3 p.m. about one-quarter mile southwest of where Route 662 passed over the creek by a U.S. Department of Agriculture agent who was monitoring the goose population.