The Stanley County Sheriff’s Office says the body of a Pierre man missing since last Friday (July 3) was found yesterday (Thurs.) afternoon on the Fort Pierre side of the Missouri River, between the railroad and car bridges.
37-year-old Lee Weber’s body was found around 4pm by volunteers helping with the search. The search was conducted each day starting Friday afternoon.
The body was placed in a body bag and taken to the bike path where family members and colleagues spent time paying their respects. The body eventually was covered by an American flag and carried by law enforcement officers to a waiting funeral vehicle. A procession of law enforcement vehicles escorted Weber’s body to the funeral home.
Hughes County Sheriff Darin Johnson says this is a very sad moment, but they are relieved Lee’s body was found. He says it’s important Lee’s family and friends have closure.
Weber jumped into the river to save his eight-year-old son who had fallen from a moving boat. The child was saved by a nearby boat. Weber, who was not wearing a life jacket, was swept away by the river’s current. The incident happened at 2:51pm Friday, two miles northwest of Fort Pierre.
Funeral services are pending. Prayers for the family and respect for the their privacy are requested during this time. The Stanley County Sheriff’s Office thanks all of the agencies and volunteers who helped with the search.
Weber was the Hughes County Chief Deputy Sheriff and served in the South Dakota National Guard.
A GoFundMe page has been established for Weber’s family. It says donations will be used to assist with memorial expenses, daily expenses that come with raising six children and future educational expenses. In addition to the fundraising website, the Lee Weber Memorial Account has been established at BankWest.
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