Full Notification

On December 22, 2017, at 11:30 PM, Green Bay Police and Metro Fire Department were dispatched to the area of 1010 University Av for a person who had potentially fallen through the ice of the East River. That evening, efforts to safely search and/or recover this person were unsuccessful. During the investigation, a shoe imprint, and what is believed to be bike impressions, were located on the ice. Investigators believed a person walked across the river in a southerly direction but did not reach the south shore.

On the night of the incident, divers determined that due to the cross currents and the amount of ice on the river, it would be unsafe for divers to perform a search of the river. Our department used our sonar to locate the person but were unable to confirm a location.

On December 24th, 2017, at 5:20 PM, officers from the Green Bay Police took a missing person report. Family members reported Ryan Riebe, a 25 yr old Green Bay resident missing. During this investigation, evidence suggested Riebe was potentially in the area of the University Ave call.

Throughout the month of March, officers conducted checks of the East River, almost daily, verifying the current ice conditions, in an effort to recover what was believed to be the person who had fallen through the ice on December 22nd.

On March 15th, at 10:30 AM, members of the Green Bay PD Dive team, utilized sonar equipment to image the bottom of the river. During this time, an area of interest was located. As divers were preparing to make entry into the river, they located a body in the river. In coordination with the Brown County Medical Examiners office, the male was later identified as Ryan Riebe.

Since December 22nd, this missing person report has been at the forefront of many investigators. Investigators checked the river repeatedly knowing that someone was missing and likely underwater. As soon as the river was considered safe for the departments dive team to enter, the dive team and investigators proactively searched the river for this person. Both detectives and dive team members wanted to provide the closure to this family of this horrific tragedy.