Dakota James accidentally drowned, ME rules

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Dakota “Koty” James, the Duquesne University graduate student who went missing Jan. 25 from Downtown and whose body was recovered March 6 in the Ohio River in Robinson, accidentally drowned, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office announced Thursday.

The ruling was shocking to his parents, who believe their son met with foul play.

The night he disappeared, Dakota, 23, of Frederick, Md., and a friend were barhopping and had gone to several establishments throughout Station Square and Downtown. He was last reported seen on a Downtown security camera in the Cultural District after parting ways with the woman.

Reacting to the medical examiner’s ruling, Dakota’s father, Jeff James, said he and Dakota’s mother, Pam, “have a little bit of disbelief. We don’t believe it.”

Instead, he said, the couple and other family members and friends believe foul play was the cause of Dakota ending up in the river. They believe he was on his way down an alley leading to the Roberto Clemente Bridge, which he regularly crossed in returning to his home on the North Side.

“I don’t believe he did this to himself on purpose or accidentally,” Mr. James said. “He’s been across that bridge and down that alley a million times. Nothing I saw on that video or heard from police or people who