KEN GOSTING The body of a long-time environmental activist was found in Mariposa Creek on Saturday. Kenneth Gosting, 62, was the victim of an apparent suicide.

Mariposa County Sheriff Brian Muller said the official cause of death was drowning, as revealed by an autopsy on Monday. The coroner’s office is awaiting the results of toxicology tests to indicate whether Gosting was under the influence of any medication. There were a number of prescriptions found at his home.

On Feb. 27, the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by Barron Brouillette who stated he was supposed to meet his Stroming Road neighbor, Gosting, at 11 a.m. to take him to the bus stop. Barron stated that when he arrived at the residence the front door was ajar, but Gosting was not home.

Due to the circumstances Brouillette felt it was necessary to make a missing person’s report. Based upon a note found at the residence, deputies began searching the area around the residence for Gosting.

At 1 p.m. the Gosting’s body was found in Mariposa Creek near his residence. The creek had been running very high after Friday night and Saturday morning’s heavy rain.

Members of the Mariposa County Search and Rescue team assisted in the recovery of Gosting’s body.

A former associate of Gosting said that he had been despondent over the past several months, hinting that suicide was a possibility. Gosting’s physical appearance had also changed drastically in the past several months.

Gosting reportedly worked for the Los Angeles Times as a reporter in the past. While in Mariposa County, Gosting was the director of the group Transportation Involves Everyone (TIE) and worked on a number of environmental issues.