News

Released: March 18, 2016 - Friday, 03:51 PM

Identification of Previously Unidentified Decedent

Contact: Stuart MacDonald, CommanderPhone: (805) 781-1423Date and time of incident: January 12, 2012Place of Occurrence: Salinas Riverbed in the City of Paso RoblesVictim Information: Phillip Max Ahoff, who was 67 years of age at the time of his deathSuspect Information: N/AThe San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Unit has identified a previously unidentified decedent. The man, known only as John Doe #5 to the Coroner Unit at the time of the discovery of his body on January 12, 2012 in the Salinas Riverbed in the City of Paso Robles, has been identified as Phillip Max Ahoff, who was 67 years old at the time of his death.

Information that assisted in the identification of Phillip Ahoff was learned after local NBC-affiliate KSBY ran a news story on December 30, 2015, highlighting ongoing investigations by the Coroner Unit to determine the identity of unidentified deceased persons. A viewer, who recognized a photograph of Phillip Ahoff shown during the broadcast, contacted the Coroner Unit with information previously not known to the Coroner Investigators. Although the viewer knew Phillip Ahoff by another name, the information she provided generated additional avenues of inquiry for the investigators.

The Coroner Unit was able to determine that the individual, known to others as Phillip Bishop, might in fact be Phillip Ahoff. Fingerprint records for Phillip Ahoff were acquired and compared with fingerprint impressions taken from Phillip Ahoff during the initial investigation of his death. These fingerprint records provided a positive identification of Phillip Ahoff.

Phillip Ahoff’s only known next-of-kin, a cousin, has been notified of his death.