WA: Coroner Confirms Cause of Death for Two Hunters Found Deceased in Local Lake

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/coroner-confirms-cause-of-death-for-two-hunters-found-deceased-in-local-lake/article_dcd53660-d86f-11ef-8321-935a6a705c4f.html

01/22/2025

New details have emerged in the investigation of the tragic deaths of Rock Dwayne Bass, 61, and Gary Thomas Myers, 69, who lost their lives at Sprague Lake near Sprague. The Adams County Coroner’s Office has officially determined the cause of death for both men as asphyxia due to freshwater drowning.

Authorities continue to piece together the events leading up to the incident. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reported no signs of struggle or entanglement in aquatic vegetation, which might have contributed to such accidents, complicating the mystery of how the tragedy unfolded.

The sequence of events began when Bass and Myers departed for a duck hunting expedition at approximately 5:00 AM on January 11. The duo was expected back by 5:00 PM. Concerns escalated when they failed to return, and attempts to reach them only resulted in unanswered calls and voicemails. The last known contact with their location was at 1:44 PM, indicating they were still on the water.

By 11:45 PM, after exhaustive search efforts, the hunters were located, but tragically, help arrived too late.

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