CRAIG — Lewis & Clark County Sheriff/Coroner Leo Dutton has identified the kayaker who was found dead near Craig on Saturday, May 24, 2025, as Melvin Scarberry.
"The pathologist from the Montana State Crime Lab determined that Scarberry died from Asphyxia due to drowning," said Dutton in a news release.
He noted that the manner of death was determined to be an accident.
Dutton says that Scarberry, 56 years old, was from Florida.
On Saturday, the Lewis & Clark County 911 center received a call about a missing kayaker in the Missouri River near Craig.
Twenty minutes after the call, a fishing guide and clients found the kayak and a body in the water.
Life-saving measures were attempted, but were unsuccessful.
Responding agencies included Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Wolf Creek-Craig Volunteer Fire; Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office; and St. Peter’s Ambulance.
