The search for missing Top Chef star Naomi Pomeroy has come to a tragic conclusion as her body was found in a river.
According to reports, the Portland chef’s body was discovered on July 17, several days after she went missing following a tubing accident.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a heartbreaking statement that Naomi had drowned.
Their investigation revealed that three adults – Pomeroy, her husband Kyle Linden Webster, and a friend – became entangled while on tubes and a paddleboard that were connected.
Tragic details in their report indicate that Naomi was pulled underwater after the group encountered an “exposed snag in the water” and was unable to free herself due to the “paddleboard leash”.
Sources report that members of the Corvallis Fire Department were able to recover Webster and the friend at the shore, but Pomeroy’s body was not immediately located.
A search was initiated, and the sheriff’s office provided an update on July 17, stating that Pomeroy’s body had been found in the Willamette River about a half mile upstream of Hyak Park, between Corvallis and Albany.
The office detailed how people canoeing on the river spotted a body, which was later identified as Naomi’s.
The 49-year-old was a self-trained chef who gained popularity in the culinary world after opening the acclaimed Portland restaurant Beast in 2007.
Pomeroy appeared on Iron Chef and Top Chef Masters and served as a guest judge on Top Chef in seasons 10, 15, and 18.
In a statement following Pomeroy’s death, Bravo and the Top Chef family wrote on X:
“The Bravo and Top Chef family send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Chef Naomi Pomeroy. Naomi was a powerhouse chef who made an indelible mark on the culinary industry.”
Rest in peace, Naomi Pomeroy.
