UPDATE 2/10/11: On Tuesday, February 8th at approximately 4:55 pm, the body was transported to the Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office for formal identification. Today, the Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the identity as the missing hiker, Rick Gentry.

Two Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Volunteers who were training their cadaver dog, Geiger, discovered a body in the area above the Whites Creek Trailhead. This discovery was immediately reported to the Sheriff’s Office.

The body was located in rugged, steep terrain and underneath approximately two ft. of snow. The Search and Rescue Volunteers estimated finding the body nearly three miles away from the Whites Creek Trailhead parking lot, which is approximately a 3 ½ hour hike.

The recovery phase began with Search and Rescue personnel assigned to protect the scene overnight. This morning, Detectives, FIS Investigators, a Medical Examiner, and Search and Rescue teams will respond to the scene and begin collecting evidence and photographing the area. After the area has been processed, teams will begin removing the body but still consciously identifying evidentiary articles. The actual removal of the body could take several hours to be completed. Once the body has been successfully removed, it will be transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office for identification.