Adam Rein

HECTOR — The body of an adult male, believed to be that of Adam M. Rein, 24, of Buffalo Lake, was found at 12:12 p.m. Saturday in a drainage ditch about a mile downstream from where Rein’s vehicle was found submerged on Thursday.

The body was sent to the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy and identity confirmation, according to a Renville County Sheriff’s Office news release. The sheriff’s office was assisted by a local aviator and North Star Search and Rescue, a non-profit Minnesota group that handles tracking and cadaver dogs.

Buffalo Lake Police received a report on Thursdady, July 5, of a missing person, Rein, who was last seen leaving an establishment in Hector at about 11 p.m. July 3.

At about 7:26 p.m., July 5, the Renville County Sheriff’s Office received a report of what appeared to be a vehicle submerged in a drainage ditch, in Hector Township, northeast of Hector. Hector and Buffalo Lake Police, the Hector Fire Department and the sheriff’s office responded.

At the scene, officers saw that a vehicle apparently left the road on 800th Avenue, west of Renville County Road 22, and entered a drainage ditch. Although the vehicle could not be seen in the water, a disruption in the current led officers and firefighters to the vehicle which was submerged in the ditch.

Emergency responders learned the vehicle was unoccupied upon recovering it. It was determined that the vehicle belonged to Rein, the missing person. Despite a foot and aerial search, Rein was not located July 5.

The search continued Friday, July 6 with help from the sheriff’s office, Buffalo Lake and Hector Police, the Buffalo Lake Fire Department Water Rescue Team, the Hector Fire Department and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

The Renville County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident.