Two bodies found in Carson River

The bodies of a man and woman believed to be a middle-aged Carson couple - possibly homeless - were found Tuesday in the Carson River by a passing hiker.

Sheriff Ken Furlong said they were in less than knee-deep water near the east bank of the river just south of Lloyd's Bridge.

"At the moment, we have no signs of trauma," he said late Tuesday afternoon.

With no signs of foul play, he said, officials will have to wait for toxicology tests after autopsies are performed Wednesday morning by the medical examiner in Reno.

"There are no signs of struggle, of conflict," Furlong said.

One of the bodies was found near the east bank of the river; the other was about 10 feet from shore.

The pair were last seen over the weekend.

Furlong said the bodies are in good shape because they were basically frozen by the icy water.

He said deputies tracked the names of the two through the license and registration of a red SUV parked at the scene. He had spoken with people believed to be family members but is withholding the identities of the two until they can be confirmed.

The sheriff said one theory is that one may have fallen into the water and been struggling, and that the other went in to help.

"Hypothermia can come very quickly," he said, adding that that was just speculation.

He said deputies would be at the scene all night but that little could be done until daybreak because of concern that deputies might damage evidence by trampling it in the dark.

Furlong said investigators plan to finish processing the scene in daylight.