Body Identified After Recovery from Mississippi River in South St. Paul; Investigation Ongoing
Published: March 6th, 2026
SOUTH ST. PAUL, MN — Authorities have identified the person recovered from the Mississippi River near Kaposia Landing earlier this week as a 49-year-old man from Rochester, as investigators continue working to determine the circumstances surrounding his death.
According to an update from Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko, deputies were requested by the South St. Paul Police Department to respond to Kaposia Landing, located at 800 Bryant Avenue in South St. Paul, after a body was reported in the river on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. According to the sheriff’s office, while they did not receive the original call reporting the discovery, investigators have learned that the individual had been found by a woman who was along the shoreline cleaning debris when she noticed the body in the water.
Because the person was located in a waterway, the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office is serving as the lead investigative agency in the case.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the deceased as Kou Thao, 49, whose last known address was listed in Rochester, Minnesota, though authorities say he may have been living in Saint Paul, Minnesota, at the time of his death. Officials say the cause of death has not yet been confirmed, pending further examination by the medical examiner.
At this stage of the investigation, authorities say there is no indication of foul play. However, investigators continue working to determine the exact circumstances surrounding Thao’s death.
The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office said the case remains under active investigation, and additional details may be released as more information becomes available.
You can find our original reporting on this story here: Body Recovered from Mississippi River Near Kaposia Landing; Investigation Underway in South St. Paul.
Source: Google Maps
Written by: Will Wight
