Body found with legs tied in Placer County canal identified by Sheriff’s Office

The man found deceased with his feet bound in a Placer County canal last week was identified Tuesday as 30-year-old James Pascual Rodriguez, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.

An autopsy found that Rodriguez, who was from the Grass Valley area, died due to head trauma.

At around noon Thursday, workers from Pacific Gas & Electric Co. found the body in Wise Canal while doing work in the area of Peaceful Valley Road. The body was partially clothed with no obvious signs of trauma.

Officials did not link the death to the nearby River Fire, as the body appeared to have been in the canal since before the fire began last Wednesday.

The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident as a homicide. There are no suspect leads at this time.

This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 8:03 AM.