Police Believe Body In River Is Missing Murder Victim

Spokane police believe a body pulled from the Spokane River early Saturday is that of 29-year-old Ruben Rivas, who has been missing for a week.

Divers from the Spokane county dive team found the body floating in the water near the T.J. Meenach Bridge, on the river’s north side, about 7 a.m.

An autopsy is scheduled for Monday to confirm identification of the body, said Dick Cottam, a police spokesman. But evidence found near the body matches information detectives have compiled during their investigation, which has included a search of Rivas’ house at 2102 E. Pacific and his car.

Some of that same information led detectives to believe the body was near the bridge, Cottam said.

Hector H. Castaneda, 36, and his brother, Julio C. Castaneda, 34, were charged with second-degree murder on Friday.

Both suspects remained in the Spokane County Jail on Saturday. The Castanedas, two of three room mates who lived with Rivas at the house on East Pacific, were arrested on Tuesday. The third roommate is not a suspect in the crime.

Rivas has not shown up at either of his jobs at Alloy Trailers in the Spokane Valley or the Playfair Race Course, where he was a groom, since last Sunday.

, DataTimes