Dayton Woman Dies in River Accident

NEZ PERCE COUNTY, Ida. - The body of a Dayton woman missing for nearly a week was recovered Saturday along the Snake River here. She was presumed to have drowned.

Sharon Matthews, 66, was last seen July 6 at Geneva Bar, on the Oregon side of the river, about 50 miles south of Lewiston. Her body was discovered several miles downstream at a spot called Buffalo Bar, on the Idaho side of the river, by officers from the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office.

Local search and rescue officials from Oregon and Idaho had been searching for Matthews for nearly a week, after she was reported missing late Sunday.

According to friends, Matthews and her husband, Mike, had taken their boat to Geneva Bar for a Fourth-of- July weekend camping trip. They joined several other couples, who also brought boats and camped.

On Sunday morning, when the rest of the party took their boats out, Sharon Matthews chose to stay behind with her dog and the Matthews' Boat. Mike Matthews rode in one of the other boats. When the other boats returned, her companions found the dog and her flipflops near the boat, but she was missing.

According to Matthews' friends, she was comfortable in boats, but not comfortable in the water.

The Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office reports that the County Coroner's Office will conduct an autopsy.