The Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information related to a 41-year-old Minnesota man whose body was found at a turnout on U.S. 199 north of Gasquet in the early morning hours of April 16.

Deputies found the body of Sawri Vang about 10 feet from his vehicle, a 2021 white Chevrolet Trax, at the turnout near the seasonal waterfall just south of the Howard Griffin Memorial Bridge on U.S. 199, DNSO Lt. Daniel Schneck told the Wild Rivers Outpost on Wednesday. Dispatch received the call at about 7 a.m. April 16, Schneck said.

Though Schneck said it’s not believed there were any signs of a struggle, there were wounds on Vang’s body, though he declined to state what kind of wounds they were.

“It’s being investigated as a homicide,” Schneck told the Outpost.

Schneck said he’s hoping that anyone driving past the area might come forward if they saw Vang’s vehicle. He pointed out that motorists traveling toward Gasquet have a direct view of the parking area of that turnout just before U.S. 199 turns into a four-lane highway.

“The positioning of the vehicle, if you are headed toward Gasquet, you come around that corner there, you are staring directly down into that turnout,” Schneck said. “Pretty much anybody driving by that saw the vehicle, if they can provide any sort of information that would be helpful.”

The case is still under investigation, Schneck said, adding that he would release further information at a later date.

Anyone with information should call the Sheriff's Office at (707) 464-4191.

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