The Body of a Missing Santa Maria Man is Recovered and Identified
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Coroner’s Office has identified the body of a man who was found this morning in a tidal pool near Guadalupe Dunes Park. The victim is 46-year-old Benito Flores of Santa Maria who had been missing since the morning of March 30th. Flores along with two other people was swept into the ocean during strong riptide conditions at the conclusion of a baptismal ceremony. The other two people managed to make it to shore but Flores was unaccounted for. Despite several days of searching the area and surrounding coastline, Flores was not located.
This morning, April 11, at approximately 7:45 a.m., a hiker who was in the Mussel Rock or Mussel Point area discovered what appeared to be a body in a shallow, tidal pool area approximately two and a half miles from where Flores was last seen. Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies responded and due to the remote area, the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team, Sheriff’s Dive Team and Santa Barbara County Air Support Copter 3 were called in for assistance. The groups worked together to retrieve the body and transport the decedent out of the area.
Next of kin has been notified. The cause and manner of death is under investigation by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Office.
Address/Location
Santa Barbara County Sheriff
4434 Calle Real
Santa Barbara, CA 93110
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-emergencies: 805-681-4192