Chico teen found dead after family reported him missing

Law enforcement on Saturday morning located a Chico teen who died after his family reported him missing.

Butte County Search and Rescue found the body of Zacary Radtke, 19, in Cohasset after he went missing Friday, the Chico Enterprise-Record reported.

The Butte County Sheriff’s Office on Friday published a release asking for help locating Radtke. It said his vehicle was found near Cohasset and Musty Buck roads in a rural area northwest of Chico.

The Enterprise-Record reported Radtke died by suicide and left a note in his vehicle. Megan McMann, a Butte County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman, said on Monday the agency was still investigating Radtke’s cause of death.

A GoFundMe page raising money for Radtke’s funeral described him as a “loving son, dedicated brother to two younger siblings whom he adored, and a friend to countless others.”

“There are no words to convey the impact of losing him,” the page said. “It is a loss felt by many in this community.”

This story was originally published March 30, 2024 at 9:00 PM.