Marlon Mendez,Ruby Perez Obituary, Death; – Deputies have identified three men who were discovered deceased in the Mississippi River at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park on Wednesday afternoon.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) reported that the bodies of Marlon Mendez, 28, Ruby Perez, 31, and Jose Yanes, 52, were located south of the park’s boat ramp.
Authorities indicate that the official cause of death will be established by the medical examiner, and the investigation is ongoing.
According to the sheriff’s office, the men were engaged in fishing and swimming on a sandbar located south of the boat ramp at the park in northwest Shelby County on Tuesday.
The men were reported missing at approximately 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday. The fire department stated that search boats were deployed within 45 minutes.
The search operation was halted at 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday due to the onset of darkness. The search team comprised members from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue, Emergency Management Agency, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Homeland Security, Shelby County Dive Team, Shelby County Fire, Millington Fire, Tipton County Fire, Memphis Police Harbor Patrol and Aviation, and TN State Parks.
The Shelby County Fire Department issued a warning regarding swimming in the Mississippi River.
“We extend our sincere thoughts and prayers to the families of these missing men. We would not be fulfilling our duty if we did not provide this urgent reminder about the river. DO NOT ENTER IT,” the fire department posted on Facebook.
They further stated, “There are numerous dangers in that water. Chief among them are submerged objects, branches, and various debris that can entangle individuals. There are eddy currents that can pull even an Olympic swimmer under. You may be drawn into the channel and find yourself facing a 24-unit barge, the size of a skyscraper, approaching you with no way for the barge crew to be aware of your presence.”
Doug Ammons, co-owner of the Shelby Forest General Store, located several miles from the Mississippi River.
“That’s a gross un
