Two Bodies Wash Up at River Jetty; Deaths Appear Unrelated

The bodies of two men were found Wednesday within 100 yards of each other near the Santa Ana River jetty at Huntington State Beach, Sheriff’s Lt. Dick Olson said.

“It does not appear that these cases are related,” Olson said. “It’s just one of those odd things that happen.”

The first body--an older man with a bullet wound to the head--was discovered by two surfers shortly after 6 a.m., Olson said.

The body was later identified as that of William Franklin Ellis, 55, of the Fresno County community of Big Creek, a spokesman for the Orange County coroner’s office said.

A red car, registered to a relative of Ellis, was found parked outside the gate to the beach parking lot.

Police on Wednesday were investigating Ellis’ death as a possible suicide, Olson said. Divers were searching the water for a gun.

The body of a second man washed up while lifeguards were pulling the first corpse from the water.

A coroner’s spokesman later identified the body as that of Dale Lee Johnson, 24, of Santa Ana. A cause of death has not yet been determined, authorities said.

Officials estimated that the body had been in the water between five and seven days, Olson said.