A former BBC Radio 1 DJ, once linked to Jimmy Savile, has been found dead at the age of 79 after vanishing in December.

Michael Willis, who later changed his name to David Evans following a prison sentence, disappeared after taking a water taxi to his yacht in Dartmouth.

His body was eventually discovered in the River Dart nearly a month later.

The Night He Went Missing

Willis was last seen heading towards his moored yacht after using a water taxi.

The following morning, his boat was found unlocked with his phone still inside.

A lit torch was discovered on the pontoon next to the boat, raising concerns that something had gone terribly wrong.

Despite extensive searches conducted by coastguards and the RNLI, there was no sign of Willis at the time.

Authorities combed the river but found no immediate clues regarding his whereabouts.

A Grim Discovery Weeks Later

On January 20, nearly a month after his disappearance, a body was located about half a mile downstream.

It was later confirmed by the coroner to be that of Willis.

Devon area coroner Alison Longhorn noted that Willis had been living on his boat when he went missing.

Since he had not been seen for several days, he was reported missing by authorities.

No Foul Play Suspected

Longhorn confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Willis’s death.

However, the exact cause remains unknown.

“The medical cause of death is unascertained,” she stated.

While the circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unclear, his tragic end has closed yet another chapter in a controversial life.

Authorities have not indicated any further investigations into the matter.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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