Bodies of Lotus Drummer Chuck Morris & Son Found a Month After Disappearance on Kayaking Trip
After a nearly month-long intensive search, authorities announced on Sunday (April 9) that they found the bodies of Lotus percussionist Chuck Morris and his 20-year-old son, Charley, who went missing last month during a kayaking trip in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
According to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, the bodies of the father and son were found 24 days after they went missing on March 16. The Sheriff’s Office announced the news in a FB post, in which they wrote that the effort began last month in the South Lost Bridge Village of Beaver Lake, utilizing resources from across the country, including an underwater drone “in a challenging environment that exceeded depths of 180′.”
“After 24 days of recovery efforts, the bodies of both Charles Morris IV (Chuck-Father) and Charles Morris V (Charley-son) have been recovered thanks to the technology and efforts by all personnel,” the post read.
On March 21, the band announced that the search for the pair had shifted to a recovery effort. “We were all hoping for a miracle, but at this point, the search for Chuck and Charley has moved to a recovery,” they wrote at the time. “With help from the K9 team, there is a probable location on the lake, but logistical challenges including temperature, weather, and depth have prevented a recovery thus far. It is unknown how long these efforts may take. While we are deeply grieving, we plan to celebrate Chuck and Charley’s lives, our memories with them, and what they meant to so many people.”
In a tribute post on Sunday, the group shared a message from the Morris family that read, “Our family was informed by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office that Charley Morris has been found. We have concluded the cause of his death was drowning. The teams are still actively searching for Chuck Morris, but we continue to have faith in their work.”
Formed in the late ’90s, Lotus was a favorite on the North American jam and electronic circuits, playing clubs shows and festivals including Camp Bisco, Gem & Jam and Okeechobee, along with major venues including Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Terminal 5 in New York City.
Lotus had already played a number of shows this year, with more club and festival dates booked through September; at press time it was unclear if Lotus will perform all those gigs in the wake of Morris’ death. The group’s next scheduled shows are a pair of benefit concerts for the Morris family on April 21 and 22 at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver, Colorado; another benefit show will take place at XL Live in Harrisburg, PA on May 5, with a fourth slated for May 6 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY.
The tribute post noted the concerts and a GoFundMe for the family to meet their immediate financial needs. “Thank you all for the outpour of support from around the world – we feel it and love you just as much!” they wrote. “We look forward to meeting many of the Lotus fans at the upcoming benefit concerts.”
Check out the band’s tribute below.
Gil Kaufman
Billboard
