Unidentified man’s body recovered, ID’d

Published 11:09 am Tuesday, February 16, 2021

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The Southampton County Sheriff’s Office has announced that the body of an unidentified man, which was recovered on Feb. 10, has been identified as Thurman Davis Copeland.

Foul play is not suspected in the death of the 58-year-old Franklin man, who had been reported missing on Dec. 21, 2020.

Maj. Camden Cobb, spokesman, stated that both the Sheriff’s Office and Virginia State Police had recovered the man from the Nottoway River near the Route 258 boat ramp. He was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Norfolk.

The positive identification came on Feb. 11.

The Nottoway River near the Route 258 boat ramp had been a focal point of the search since Copeland was reported missing.

“The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Virginia State Police Search and Recovery Team and the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Conservation Police Officers who assisted in the search for Mr. Copeland,” said Cobb.