Retired McLean Pastor Found Dead at Great Falls Park

Police have identified the body found in Great Falls Park on Saturday as a 77-year-old retired pastor of a McLean church.

Around 9:45 a.m. on Saturday (Aug. 24), U.S. Park Police responded to a report from a kayaker about a dead body found at Great Falls Park (9200 Old Dominion Drive), police said.

U.S. Park Police said that the “investigation revealed that the man fell onto rocks.”

Police identified the man as Russell Larkin. He was pronounced dead on scene.

Pete Piringer, a spokesperson for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services, tweeted that a search and body recovery took place on the Potomac River between Sandy Landing and Rocky Island.

Fairfax County Police Department said that Larkin had been reported missing around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, The Washington Post reported.

“The current pastor of Chesterbrook United Methodist Church told FOX5 Larkin was the pastor of that church from 2011 to 2016 where he was loved, respected and was a big part of keeping that church open when it faced some hard times,” FOX5 reported.

Search & Recovery (body) – Potomac River between Sandy Landing & Rocky Island @mcfrs SW710, SW710B, SW730, SW730B, BC702 on call @ffxfirerescue assisting (call originated from Va) @COcanalNPS (note: @mcfrs file photos) pic.twitter.com/QNVs70MSZb

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) August 24, 2019

U.S. Park Police have now identified body pulled from the Potomac River in Great Falls Park Saturday as 77 yr old Russell Eugene Larkin – he was discovered by kayakers…friends tell @fox5dc he was a well-loved former pastor of Chesterbrook United Methodist Church in McLean pic.twitter.com/G6aIVmk1SM

— Anjali Hemphill (@AnjaliHemphill) August 27, 2019