The bodies of former Lotus drummer Chuck Morris (Charles Morris IV) and his son Charles Morris V have been found. The discovery of the 47-year-old musician and his 20-year-old son puts to an end a month-long search that began in March after the duo embarked on a kayaking trip in Beaver Lake, Arkansas.
“After 24 days of recovery efforts, the bodies of both Charles Morris IV and Charles Morris V have been recovered thanks to the technology and efforts by all personnel,” the Benton County sheriff’s office wrote in a statement shared on their Facebook page on Sunday, April 9. “Sheriff Holloway, along with the family of Chuck and Charley, would like to thank all the men and women who donated their time and efforts to help bring closure to the family and recover the two missing men.”
The statement went on to add details of those involved in the lengthy recovery operation and said that, “Our heart goes out the family of Chuck and Charley Morris and we are thankful today that we can help bring closure.” The search began on March 16 “for two missing kayakers in the area of S. Lost Bridge Village of Beaver Lake,” the statement read.
The band had also taken to Facebook after several days of search operations, with a somber message. “We were all hoping for a miracle, but at this point, the search for Chuck and Charley has moved to a recovery,” remaining former and present band members (including Mike Rempel, Joel Jimenez, Tim Palmieri, Andy Parada, Steve Clemens, Jesse Miller, Luke Miller, and Mike Greenfield) wrote in part. “While we are deeply grieving, we plan to celebrate Chuck and Charley’s lives, our memories with them, and what they meant to so many people. Thank you to all who have reached out with fond words, stories, emotional and financial support.” They also organized a fundraising effort for the family.
The percussionist was recruited to the multi genre band in 2001, and their debut album Vibes was released in 2002. They’ve released a total of 13 albums over the years. Chuck’s son was a student at Ohio Wesleyan University, according to USA Today.