Police identify 39-year-old Des Moines man believed to have drowned in Raccoon River

Des Moines police on Wednesday identified a presumed drowning victim found last weekend in the Des Moines River as 39-year-old Christopher Lee Sheets.

Police spokesperson Sgt. Paul Parizek said police and fire department personnel found the Des Moines resident's body just before 9 p.m. Saturday as they investigated a report of someone floating in the river at the Southeast Sixth Street bridge near the Des Moines' confluence with the Raccoon River.

Parizek said detectives and the Polk County Medical Examiner's Office were continuing their investigation Wednesday into the death of Sheets.

The discovery of body came after police divers and a fire department water rescue team searched Friday for person who had been reported struggling in the Raccoon River near Southwest Second Street. Witnesses said the person went below the surface and did not reappear.

The search effort was suspended after a few hours because of the high rate of flow of the water and debris.

José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com.