Benton City teen’s body found in the river after he disappeared during a weekend party

The body of a Benton City teen was discovered in the Yakima River Wednesday, days after he disappeared at an outdoor party.

Gage Mercado’s body was found about 11:30 a.m. after searching for three days, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in an afternoon news release.

Benton County sheriff’s officials and volunteers had been searching for the 18-year-old since he went missing Saturday night during a party at Horn Rapids Park. He was found in the river near the site of the party’s bonfire.

More than 60 people, including 40 volunteers, had been conducting a grid search for Mercado on Wednesday over about 8 square miles of the remote county park.

Mercado was one of 50 to 60 people at the bonfire party near Higgins Field, the miniature aircraft airport at the park, Benton County Sgt. Horacio Gonzalez told the Herald.

Detectives have interviewed many of the party’s attendees and followed up on tips they received in the past two days, Gonzalez said.

It’s still not clear how he ended up in the river.

Sometime around 10:30 p.m. friends noticed Mercado was missing, and investigators initially weren’t sure if he’d left the park.

The park covers more than 800 acres, including five miles of Yakima River waterfront, northeast of the small town of Benton City just west of the Tri-Cities.

They’d been conducting daily searches including using boats, drones, four-wheelers, four-wheel drive vehicles, horses and people on foot.

Benton County Fire District 2 brought a boat out to search along the shoreline.

Family and friends used social media to ask for help finding the Kiona-Benton City High School graduate.

One Facebook post said Mercado wasn’t the type to just disappear and not contact his family.