Body of UC law student recovered in Oregon

The body of a 23-year-old UC Berkeley School of Law student was recovered Thursday night from near Toketee Falls, about 40 miles east of Roseburg, Ore., more than a month after falling from an overlook near the waterfall, Douglas County Sheriff’s officials said.

Brian Lewinstein fell down a steep embankment near the falls on Aug. 12, Sheriff’s officials said, apparently while trying to photograph the falls. Weeks of searches by members of Douglas County Search and Rescue failed to turn up any trace of Lewinstein.

About 5:45 p.m. Thursday, two hikers called the Sheriff’s office saying they had discovered a body in a pool near the bottom of the falls. Sheriff’s deputies and Search and Rescue personnel rappelled down the steep rock formations. The body was brought up to the Toketee Falls trail about 10 p.m. Thursday, Sheriff’s officials said.

The Douglas County Medical Examiner’s Office positively identified Lewinstein’s body.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Brad O’Dell said in a statement on his department’s web page:

“We are glad that we were able to provide his family with some answers and sincerely hope that they are able to find some comfort in the fact that he was located. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to his family and friends.”