Body Found in Grand River Identified as Jackson Resident

Paul C. Porter, 25, was reported missing to the Jackson Police Department on Jan. 21. A medical examiner in Oakland County used medical records to link the remains to Porter, Blackman-Leoni Township public safety Director Michael Jester reported Monday in a statement.

Detectives from the public safety department and the Jackson Police Department are conducting a joint investigation to determine the circumstances that led to his death, according to Jester.

The cause is not yet clear. “We don’t know what to suspect at this point,” Jester said.

Porter was last seen Jan. 20 leaving his home in the 900 block of N. Blackstone Street, the Michigan State Police reported in January.

He was said to suffer from mental health issues requiring medication, leading authorities to believe he could be in danger.

Ashley and Jacob Vondrasek of Blackman Township came across the decomposed body May 28 while canoeing the Grand River near I-94 and called 911.

The remains were in a tangle of branches and debris in the water about 200 yards north of the highway bridge.

Jester said detective were checking pending cases of missing people and Porter seemed a likely match.

Porter lived on N. Blackstone Street, running parallel to the river, which moves north.