Authorities today identified a body found along the shoreline near the Venice Pier as belonging to former professional wresler Shad Gaspard, who was last seen in the waters off Venice Beach over the weekend.
“Shad Gaspard was last seen by a Los Angeles County lifeguard about 3:40 p.m. (Sunday) as he swam in the ocean about 50 yards from Venice Beach in the county of Los Angeles,” a Los Angeles Police Department statement said. “When last seen by the lifeguard, a wave had crashed over (him) and he was swept out to sea.”
Los Angeles County firefighters, accompanied by officers from the Los Angeles Police Department, responded to the pier at around 2:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, where crews recovered the body and turned it over to the coroner's office.
Lifeguards were able to pull Gaspard's 10-year-old son from the water over the weekend. He was evaluated by LAFD paramedics, but did not require hospitalization.
The Coast Guard continued their search for the elder Gaspard on Sunday and Monday, but suspended their search early Tuesday when the LAPD listed the former professional wrestler as a missing-person.
Gaspard was best known for his time as a star in the WWE, where he was one-half of a tag team known as Cryme Time, along with his partner, JTG.
Photo: Getty Images