Authorities have ruled out the possibility of foul play in the death investigation of a married Oregon couple, The Astorian reports.
The husband and wife were identified as 76-year-old Allen Payne and 76-year-old Shirley Payne from Astoria, Oregon, their son told the Tillamook County Sheriff's Office (TCSO). Deputies got a call Sunday (October 3) about a partially capsized boat that ran aground Nedonna Beach, where they found two people dead.
Officials discovered the unresponsive body of Shirley Payne on the beach, but first responders were unable to resuscitate her. Allen Payne's body was "found tangled in rope outside the boat, near the propeller," reporters say. They were the only known people onboard, the sheriff's office confirmed.
The 42-foot vessel was called the Bagheera and the Paynes kept it docked at an Astoria pier. The couple was on their way to San Francisco before the tragic incident, according to an initial report. Witnesses even claim they saw the boat tossing in the surf that night.
Paul Fournier, the TCSO's public information officer, says the waters south of the Nehalem jetty are known to be treacherous. Several boating accidents were reported in the area over the years, he added.
The investigation is ongoing.