Death investigation underway after missing man located at Hippy Hole

A man reported missing Tuesday evening has been located at Hippy Hole. Following the man’s discovery, a death investigation is now underway.

At around 7:25 p.m. on August 8, 2017, the Rapid City Police Department received a report of a missing person. Information gathered in in the subsequent investigation indicated that, at last contact with acquaintances, the man said he was heading to the Hippy Hole area.

Tuesday evening, deputies of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office travelled to this location and discovered the man’s car nearby.

In the early morning hours of August 9, the PCSAR began searching the area. As daylight conditions allowed, the Rapid City/Pennington County Water Rescue Team arrived to the location to search the water. A short time after the Water Rescue Team entered the water at Hippy Hole, the body of 23-year-old Benjamin Authier was discovered in the water.

The investigation is still ongoing into the man’s cause and manner of death.