Late Saturday evening in the quiet countryside near Williams, California, local authorities and community members ended a heartbreaking search when they discovered the body of 84-year-old Jim Hamner of Colusa County. What began as a frantic hunt for a missing elder turned into a somber scene by an irrigation canal near his home.
Hamner was reported missing around midday—between approximately noon and 2:30 p.m.—from his residence in the rural area around Hankins Road and Stovall Road west of Williams. Because of his age and welfare concerns, the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office immediately mobilized local fire departments, search-and-rescue teams from both Colusa and Glenn counties, and units of the California Highway Patrol. Aerial support was also brought in to sweep the farmlands and waterways.
Darkness had settled by the time the search drew to its tragic end. At around 9:12 p.m., rescuers located Hamner’s body in an irrigation canal near his home. While specifics around how he came to be in the canal have not been released, authorities said there were no signs of foul play and the death appears to be the result of other causes.
In a public statement, the Colusa County Sheriff’s Office extended its deepest condolences to Hamner’s family and thanked the community and partnering agencies for their timely response and support. “We truly appreciate the cooperation of our local fire departments, the Glenn County search teams, CHP, and the many volunteers who helped us,” officials said.
At present, the cause of death remains under examination by the Colusa County Coroner’s Office. The pathologist will carry out the necessary investigations to determine how Hamner came to be in the canal and the medical factors involved.
The search-and-rescue effort delivered a vivid reminder of the tight-knit rural community that surrounds Williams—a place where neighbors, emergency services, and county teams converged quickly in hopes of a positive outcome. Sadly, the ending was not the one they had hoped for.
In memory of Jim Hamner, the community now mourns a man whose disappearance rallied so many to action, even as it ended in profound loss.