Cambridge man missing since April found dead in New Hampshire

The body of a Cambridge man, missing since mid-April when he went hiking in the White Mountains, has been found in New Hampshire.

William Donovan, 63, had been missing since April 16, and authorities previously found his car with pieces of hiking gear at the Crawford Path in Carroll, N.H.

His body was found Monday around 10:20 a.m. by a search team in the Dry River, according to New Hampshire Fish and Game. The team headed to the area after gear and a jacket believed to belong to Donovan were found in the river over the weekend by hikers. 

“This evidence helped focus the search area and Donovan’s body was ultimately located approximately 400 feet upstream from where the jacket was discovered,” the department said.

According to officials, it took hours for the search team to free the Cambridge man’s remains from underneath a large boulder, just over 2.5 miles from Route 302. 

It remains unclear why Donovan, who was reportedly an avid hiker, was in the area, according to the fish and game department.

“It is also unknown how he entered the water, but it appears he was somehow forced from the ridge by high winds or other adverse weather conditions between Mt. Monroe and Mt. Eisenhower,” officials said.

An autopsy by the state medical examiner is pending.