Man found in ship channel identified

Published 12:10 pm Friday, January 25, 2019

Justice of the Peace Pct. 2 Marc DeRouen has identified the man whose body was recovered in the ship channel as Tenolia Johnson, 36, of Port Arthur.

A preliminary autopsy was performed and the cause of death is listed as drowning. The manner of death is pending investigation and there is nothing to indicate foul play at this time, DeRouen said.

Johnson had not been reported as missing by family members and it appeared he had been in the water for an extended period of time.

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A person working at the Port of Port Arthur on Wednesday morning saw what they believed to be a person in the waterway but by the time responding agencies arrived on scene the body had drifted to another location.

The search continued on Thursday and Johnson’s body was recovered shortly after 2 p.m. under a dock at the Port.

Responding agencies include the Port Arthur Police Department, Port Arthur Fire Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and the U.S. Coast Guard.