Chattanooga police have identified the man whose body was found on the banks of the Tennessee River Tuesday as 39-year-old Christopher John Friberg, of Chattanooga.

Police spokeswoman Officer Rebecca Royval said a woman was kayaking at about 2 p.m. on the Tennessee River when she saw a body caught on a tree branch near the Moccasin Bend firing range.

Detectives with major crimes and the homicide division retrieved the body by boat, with help from Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency and Volunteer State Rescue personnel.

Mr. Firberg's body didn't appear to have been in the river for a long period of time, Officer Royval said.

A preliminary examination from the medical examiner's office was inconclusive and an autopsy will be performed Wednesday, Officer Royval said.

Mr. Friberg was set to appear before Judge Rebecca Stern in Hamilton County Criminal Court Dec. 30 on a charge of vandalism, court records show.

For complete details, see tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press.