A Clay County man’s death is being investigated as an accidental drowning after his body was found over the weekend by an outdoorsman in a northeast Arkansas river, according to authorities.
In a statement, the Clay County sheriff’s office said its agency responded at 6:47 p.m. Saturday to a call from a boater who said he noticed what appeared to be a body in the Black River near a landing on County Road 228. River depths in the area were between 12 and 14 feet, authorities said.
Sheriff Terry Miller said the man, through information provided by local residents, was identified as Dennis Franks, a man in his 50s from Knobel. He was last seen Thursday at Holland's Lodge, which is within 1 mile of the river, Miller said.
An investigation into Franks’ death will remain open pending results from the state Crime Laboratory, according to the sheriff’s office.