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Marin Co officials identify 2 boaters found dead in Tomales Bay
The Marin County Coroner has identified 37-year-old Alexander Ferguson, of Pacifica, as one of the two people found dead in Tomales Bay following a weekend canoe trip.
PACIFICA, Calif. - Friends, neighbors and city officials are mourning the loss of 37-year-old Alexander Ferguson, who was identified by the Marin County Coroner as one of two boaters found dead in Tomales Bay over the weekend.
Ferguson, a Pacifica resident, had served as a planning commissioner for the city for nearly six years after being appointed in 2020. City officials issued a statement praising his contributions, noting his commitment to balancing community growth with environmental protection.
Weekend Tragedy in Tomales Bay
According to the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, Ferguson and 36-year-old Casey Melia of San Francisco left a campsite in Tomales Bay in a canoe just before midnight on Saturday. When the two men failed to return by Sunday morning, members of their camping party called 911.
A joint investigation is currently being conducted by the Marin County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Park Service to determine the exact cause of death for both men.
Remembered as a Mentor and Family Man
Outside his civic duties, Ferguson worked at an industrial engineering company. Neighbors and friends remember him as a devoted husband, father and neighbor who deeply cared about those around him.
Christina Walter, a neighbor of Ferguson, shared her devastation over the tragedy and noted that Ferguson had previously taken her college-age son under his wing as an intern at the engineering company he worked for.
"What a great neighbor, dad, husband he was, as much as I knew him and mentored my son. He will be missed," Walter said.
Others in the community described Ferguson as an avid outdoorsman who was "salt of the earth, humble and a great person." Plans are currently underway by those he worked with to formally commemorate his many contributions to the city of Pacifica.
Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Reach Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com, text/leave a message at 510-599-3922, or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @AmberKTVU and TikTok @amberleenews.
The Source: Marin County Sheriff's Office, Marin County Fire Department, Pacifica's Planning Commission, interviews with Ferguson's neighbors and friends