Body Found In Napa River Likely That Of Missing Woman, Police Say

NAPA, CA — A woman's body was recovered Thursday from the Napa River and appeared to be that of a Napa resident reported missing nearly 10 days ago, the Napa Police Department said.

As part of local law enforcement's continued search for Crystal McCarthy, a Napa sheriff's deputy was patrolling the Napa River on a sheriff's boat Thursday afternoon when he came across the body in the water near the Third Street Bridge, next to downtown Napa, a police sergeant said Thursday in an email to Patch and other members of the media.

Napa police detectives and Napa sheriff-coroner deputies responded to the dock near Third Street and recovered the body.

"The body appears to be Crystal McCarthy, but a positive identification will not be confirmed until autopsy," Napa police Sgt. Pete Piersig said in the email.

McCarthy, 37, was reported missing to the Napa Police Department the morning of Dec. 14 by her boyfriend.

"She was last seen near the Napa River, upstream from where [Thursday's] body was found," Piersig said.

An autopsy has been scheduled for mid-week, next week. Until then, police said further details on the condition of the body or speculations on the cause of death will not be released.

"McCarthy’s father, mother, and boyfriend were notified in the abundance of caution that the body recovered is McCarthy," Piersig said. "Unfortunately, spectators posted to social media ahead of official notifications."

According to police, McCarthy's boyfriend, Andrew Wright, reported her missing the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 14, and said he last saw and talked to her the night before at the home they shared in the 500 block of Lincoln Avenue.

Wright said he was working that evening and when he came home shortly after midnight, she was not home.

According to police, Wright and McCarthy had a roommate who was home Monday night and spoke with her shortly before 9 p.m. when she asked about an umbrella, as it was raining. Around 10:30 p.m., the roommate received a food order placed by McCarthy but figured she was in the bathroom.

Wright told police he searched the area early Tuesday morning and found some of McCarthy’s belongings near the west bank of the Napa River under the Lincoln Avenue bridge, a short distance from their home.

The Search For Crystal Lea McCarthy

A detective was assigned the case, as is standard in all missing person cases. Detectives met with Wright and his roommate.

Detectives also spoke to McCarthy's friends and family, but no one heard from her and she did now show up for work at a downtown business.

Detectives found no activity on McCarthy’s bank accounts, and her cell phone was found in her house.

Wright, the roommate, and McCarthy's friends and family all fully cooperated with detectives, Piersig said.

Detectives did "not suspect foul play is involved by those close to McCarthy," Piersig said Wednesday in an email, prior to the recovery Thursday of a woman's body.

Witnesses told police that in recent months, McCarthy befriended a homeless woman and had been bringing food and drinks to her and others, Piersig said.

"It was raining heavily on Monday night [Dec. 13] and the tide was high around the time McCarthy was last seen," Piersig said in the email, which was sent prior to the body's discovery. "It is possible McCarthy went into the Napa River and was swept away."

Detectives walked the river banks in search of McCarthy, who was described as 5 feet 4 inches tall and 155 pounds, with orange hair and green eyes.

California Highway Patrol Air Operations checked the river area from above once there was a break in the rainy weather.

"CHP reported that due to budget constraints, the CHP air crew were not able to look for McCarthy until they were already on another mission," Piersig said.

"On Sunday, Dec. 19, a solo witness reported seeing a body with orange hair in the Napa River, just south of downtown," Piersig said.

A Napa sheriff's drone team and a sheriff's boat crew also responded and checked the area, but a body was not immediately found.

Napa police detectives and sheriff's boat personnel continued to check the Napa River.

Community Joins Search

A Facebook page called "Find Crystal Lea McCarthy" was launched by community members and led to a group of volunteers who gathered Wednesday to search for her.

• Search Continues For Missing Woman In Napa

A statement posted to the page Thursday read:

"Words can't express what we're all feeling right now. As the family has yet to issue an official statement, we will continue to await the official confirmation. Please continue to pray for Crystal, her family, and her friends."

Last Seen At 7-Eleven

According to police, McCarthy was last seen on video surveillance at 10:34 p.m. Monday, Dec. 13, at a nearby 7-Eleven with a known homeless man who was recently released from jail.

"She was seen purchasing alcohol and that is consistent with what her boyfriend suspected she was doing," Piersig said. "The initial information was that she had befriended a homeless woman, but per follow-up conversations, she was also friendly with a homeless man. Detectives have talked with that man and at this point he is not suspected of criminal activity."

Police said anyone with information related to McCarthy or what she was doing Monday night, Dec. 13, should contact Napa police Detective Brandt Keown at 707 257-9592 or bkeown@cityofnapa.org.

"As a side note, NPD has had an increase in missing persons cases," Piersig said. "Most of the new cases are made by parents and family members of homeless individuals who simply want to get in touch with the person, but can’t. This is not one of those cases."