Body pulled from Spokane River identified as man missing since January

A body pulled from the Spokane River earlier this month has been identified as a Spokane man missing since January.

Family and friends reported Steven Annis, 40, missing after he didn’t show up for work on Jan. 9. 

“This is not in his character,” Jason Branch, a friend, told KHQ. “He doesn’t do this. He doesn’t not show up. He’s always called one of us. He’s always communicating with one of us.”

The circumstances around Annis’ disappearance were suspicious enough to do a thorough investigation, but no evidence of a crime was discovered, said Julie Humphreys, a spokesperson for the Spokane Police Department. 

On March 6, pedestrians reported seeing an adult body floating facedown downstream. Spokane Valley firefighters in powerboats and kayaks pulled the body from the river not long after. 

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the body as Annis on Wednesday morning. His cause and manner of death were listed as pending. 

There were no signs of trauma to Annis’ body when it was recovered, Humphreys said. Investigators are currently waiting for the medical examiner to determine the cause of death, she said.