Account
Dec 10, 2024
Dec 11, 2024
David
Brinkmeyer
72
72
67 inches
180 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
On November 13, 2024, David Robert Brinkmeyer, a 72-year-old man, was on an elk hunting trip in the wilderness of Skamania County, Washington, near Mount St. Helens. A tugboat captain by trade, he was familiar with the water, yet the day took a tragic turn when he attempted to cross the cold, fast-moving Muddy River to reach his hunting camp. He was using an inner tube attached to a rope system he had set up when the tube overturned, and the strong current swept him away. His disappearance prompted an immediate and significant response from authorities. The Skamania County Sheriff's Office launched an extensive search operation in the rugged terrain. The effort to find Mr. Brinkmeyer was comprehensive, involving ground search teams, specialized rope crews, and aerial support to scan the challenging landscape. Despite these exhaustive efforts, the search was met with immense difficulty due to the conditions and the vastness of the area. As days turned into weeks, there was no sign of the missing hunter, and the active search was eventually suspended, leaving his family and community in a painful state of uncertainty. For seven months, David Brinkmeyer remained missing. Then, on June 22, 2025, the case came to a sad conclusion when a 911 caller reported the discovery of a body in the Swift Reservoir, approximately 15 miles east of Cougar. The Skamania County Sheriff's Office and the county coroner responded by boat and recovered the remains. The body was positively identified as David Brinkmeyer. He was found more than 12 miles from the location where he had been swept into the river. The discovery brought a tragic end to the prolonged search, confirming he had drowned that November day. This overview encapsulates the unfortunate events of a recreational hunting trip turning into a fatal accident, the subsequent large-scale but unsuccessful search, and the eventual recovery that provided a somber resolution for his family.
Nov 13, 2024
Cougar
Washington
Skamania County
Cougar
No
159499
Skamania County Sheriff's Office
Stevenson
Washington
Skamania County
98648
Jeremy Schultz
Detective
200 Vancouver Avenue, Washington
5094279490
County
Law Enforcement
24-08027
2024-11-13
Skamania County Sheriff's Office
Gray or Partially Gray
Green
Green
Yes
06/25/2026
