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North Carolina man found dead in Virginia river identified

HIGH POINT, N.C. — Authorities have identified the North Carolina man whose body was found floating in Virginia’s Smith River.

The Martinsville Bulletin reported Tuesday that the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke used DNA analysis to identify the remains as Edward Harrison Ariail.

Ariail, 67, was from High Point and suffered from dementia.

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office said there were no apparent signs of foul play or homicide. No cause of death has been released.

The final autopsy report is pending as more testing is completed.

The body was discovered in late October in the rain-swollen Smith River.

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