Information sought on man found dead in Cache Creek

Detectives are trying to determine what an Orange County man was doing in Lake County in the days before he was found dead in Cache Creek west of Clear Lake.

A kayaker paddling a remote stretch of the creek about a half-mile west of Cache Creek Dam discovered 18-year-old Noe Figueroa's body about 2 p.m. Sunday.

Figueroa, whom coroner officials identified Thursday, was last seen by a relative in Ukiah around July 1 before he apparently headed to Lower Lake for an unknown purpose, Lake County sheriff's Lt. Corey Paulich said. Detectives released a photograph of Figueroa, asking for the public's help determining where he was staying, possibly in or around Lower Lake, and his purpose there.

“We're trying to help the family figure out what happened to him and find anyone who might help us learn the circumstances of how he ended up in the water,” Paulich said.

Detectives so far found nothing to suggest foul play, he said.

Paulich said the family hadn't reported Figueroa missing. They knew he was in Lake County but had no idea what he was doing or whom he was visiting, he said.

Anyone with information about Figueroa can contact Lake County sheriff's Detective Richard Kreutzer at 707-262-4233 or richard.kreutzer@lakecountyca.gov.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.