Missing man’s body found in log jam in Mat-Su

A 67-year-old man has been found dead, his body stuck in a log jam on Lake Creek in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska State Troopers said.

William L. Mazoch's body was recovered at noon Thursday, troopers said.

On May 28, troopers got a report that Mazoch was missing in the Bulchitna Lake area. Mazoch owned property on the lake, and his neighbor had traveled to meet him there. But when the neighbor arrived, Mazoch was nowhere to be found, troopers said.

Bulchitna Lake is near the Mat-Su community of Skwentna.

Troopers began looking for Mazoch at Bulchitna Lake via helicopter. They searched the river downstream of Mazoch's property by air and river boat, and two fishing guides volunteered their boats to help.

Searchers found water levels on the nearby Lake Creek were "extremely high," bordering on flood levels, troopers said.

On Thursday, troopers, two divers and Mazoch's family recovered Mazoch's body from the Lake Creek area, where he was found stuck in a log jam. His body was sent to the State Medical Examiner office for further investigation, troopers said.