On June 27, 2024, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office and United Search Corp recovered Marsha Hayes and her vehicle from the Big Salmon River.
Marsha Hayes was last seen on the morning of May 22, 2024, driving northbound on Highway 95 from Riggins with her Australian Shepherd service dog, Maggie. She was driving a grey 2006 Acura MDX. On May 24, 2024, vehicle parts and a license plate were found along the river and were confirmed to belong to Marsha.
Doug Bishop of United Search Corp, a nonprofit organization out of Oregon, was requested to search the Big Salmon River. Mr. Bishop used his side scan sonar, being towed by a jet boat, and located a vehicle underwater approximately ¼ mile downstream from the crash site. Then, with the use of underwater cameras, Mr. Bishop went to the location and confirmed Marsha was still inside the vehicle.
Today, efforts were successful, and Marsha Hayes and her vehicle were recovered from the Big Salmon River.
Idaho County Sheriff Doug Ulmer wishes to thank Mr. Bishop and his organization United Search Corp for their exceptional assistance in providing closure for the Hayes family. Both Sheriff Ulmer and Mr. Bishop would like to thank Marsha’s family and friends who came out to assist, along with
the Riggins Fire/EMS, the Idaho Transportation Department, the Idaho State Police, Torch Towing, the Idaho County Coroner’s Office, Shawn Davis with Little Salmon River Builders and the Riggins community for all coming together to aid in Marsha’s recovery.
We are truly sorry for the Hayes family’s loss, and our thoughts and prayers go out to Marsha’s family and friends as they navigate this difficult time.
For those who wish to support United Search Corps in their mission to bring closure to families affected by similar tragedies, donations can be made at https://unitedsearchcorps.org/donate. United Search Corps is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to locating and recovering missing persons. Their mission is to provide closure to families through relentless search efforts and advanced technology.
