Atmautluak man’s body found

ALASKA NEWSPAPERS STAFF
editor@alaskanewspapers.com

June 09, 2008 at 3:35PM AKST

The body of an Atmautluak man was found in a river Sunday, a day after his unoccupied boat was spotted still in gear with the motor running after having run aground, according to Alaska State Troopers and the Anchorage Daily News.

Billy Nicholi, 49, was discovered wearing a life jacket in the Kuskokwim River near the mouth of Johnson River, not far from where the 18-foot boat was found early Saturday, troopers said.

Nicholi was last seen Friday at a fish camp south of Oscarville just hours before his boat was discovered, troopers said. Witnesses told troopers Nicholi was intoxicated when he left the camp, saying he was headed home.

His body has been released to his next of kin.