Body discovered in Delaware River identified as missing man: police

PHILADELPHIA - New details have emerged after police say the body of a man in his 40s was found in the Delaware River Thursday. 

At around 3:30 p.m., Philadelphia police responded to reports of a body in the river at Linden and Delaware Avenues. 

Upon arrival, the Philadelphia Police Marine Unit recovered the body of a Black man in his 40s. 

He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Police sources tell FOX 29’s Steve Keeley the man found in the Delaware River had cords tied around both wrists, prompting homicide detectives to take over the case. 

Due to reports of a 42-year-old missing man Wednesday, police sources say they were able to quickly identify the man as Darnell Dogan. 

Photo of Darnell Dogan, 42, provided by family

According to Dogan's family, he went fishing in the area of the scene of the Delaware River at Pleasant Hill Park Tuesday and when he never came home, they filed a missing persons report Wednesday afternoon.

Police learned that the people who were last with Dogan Tuesday night never called 911 or reported him missing.

Northeast detectives didn't talk to them until after they began their missing person investigation.

"Based on what we found on the body I can't get to specifics," said Chief Inspector Scott Small, PPD. "It appears suspicious at this time."

Police told Darnell's mother, Juanita Johnson, that a jet skier had reported seeing a body in the Delaware River. She then learned it was her son.

"That's my baby boy. Nothing is gonna fix this, nothing. Not time, none of that. Knowing that my son died doing something that he loved to do and somebody did something to him it's hard, just it's hard," said Johnson.

The preliminary information is that this 42-year-old male was on a boat on the Delaware River with several friends or acquaintances sometime around midnight from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. That's when family members believe he either went missing or fell off the boat. 

This is an ongoing investigation. 

Check back for more updates.