MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Deputies have identified three men found dead in the Mississippi River at Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park Wednesday afternoon.

SCSO said the bodies of Marlon Mendez, 28, Ruby Perez, 31, and Jose Yanes, 52, were found south of the park’s boat ramp.

Deputies say the official cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner, and this is an ongoing investigation.

The sheriff’s office said the men were fishing and swimming on a sandbar south of the boat ramp at the park in northwest Shelby County on Tuesday.

The men were reported missing around 7:15 p.m. Tuesday. The fire department said they had search boats in the water within 45 minutes.

The search was suspended at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday due to darkness.

  • Courtesy of SCSO
  • Courtesy of SCSO
  • Courtesy: SCSO
  • Courtesy: SCSO
  • Courtesy: SCSO
  • Courtesy of SCSO

The search crew included Shelby County Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue, Emergency Management Agency, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Homeland Security, Shelby County Dive team, Shelby County Fire, Millington Fire, Tipton County Fire, Memphis Police Harbor Patrol and Aviation, and TN State Parks.

The Shelby County Fire Department offered a warning about swimming in the Mississippi River.

“Allow us to offer our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the families of these missing men. We would not be doing our fullest if we didn’t offer this ardent reminder about that river. DON’T GET IN IT,” the fire department wrote on Facebook.

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They continued, “There are so many hazards in that water. Chiefly among them are submerged items, branches, sometimes debris, etc. to become entangled in. There are eddy currents that can pull an olympic swimmer under. You can be drawn into the channel and find yourself staring at a 24 unit barge that’s the size of a skyscraper on it’s side coming straight at you with no way for the barge crew to have any idea that you are there.”

Doug Ammons is co-owner of the Shelby Forest General Store, several miles from the Mississippi River.

“That’s a gross understatement. This river is lethal,” said Ammons.

WREG spoke to family and friends of the missing men earlier in the day, but they declined to comment, stating they had no news yet and were waiting.