Missing mushroom picker from Chase found dead

A man from Chase who went missing after being dropped off to join a mushroom picking camp in northern B.C. is dead.

Lyle Martin, 61, was from the Neskonlith Indian Band and travelled to Fort Nelson to join the camp located at km 36 of the Eskai Road July 1. He was dropped off by a friend and made arrangements to be picked up at 5 p.m. the same day but never returned.

RCMP were notified Martin was missing July 2. They deployed a Search and Rescue team who found Martin's backpack several hundred metres from where he was dropped off, but there was no sign of Martin.

At 11:55 a.m. July 7, Martin was found in a wooded area by an RCMP helicopter pilot and a police service dog handler searching the area about a kilometre from where Martin's mushroom baskets and backpack were found.

Fort Nelson Victims Services and the Fort Nelson First Nations community are assisting the family.