Police believe body of suspect in shooting of Arizona tribal officer found in river

PHOENIX — Authorities said they believe they’ve found the body of a suspect in the shooting of an Arizona tribal police officer earlier this month.

The body of a Hispanic male, believed to be 39-year-old Valentin Rodriguez, was found in the Verde River near the Tunlii crossing around 4 p.m. on Friday.

(Update: The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office announced on March 3 that the autopsy confirmed it was Rodriguez. No cause of death was released.)

A father and son fishing in the river saw the body and contacted police, according to a press release.

Rodriguez had been the subject of a manhunt since Yavapai-Apache Police Sgt. Preston Brogdon was shot in the abdomen on Feb. 9.

Brogdon survived the shooting, which occurred while he was responding to a shots fired call near State Route 260 and Cherry Creek Road in Camp Verde.

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