Austin Bice Update: Body of U.S. exchange student pulled from Madrid river, no apparent signs of foul play
(CBS/KFMB/AP) MADRID - The body of U.S. exchange student Austin Bice was pulled out of a Madrid river on Tuesday, 10 days after he disappeared following a night on the town, a police official said.
The body of the missing 22-year student from San Diego State University was found by authorities after they drained a shallow river that runs through western Madrid, not far from the nightclub where Bice was last seen Feb. 26.
Early last week, a friend told CBS affiliate KFMB that Bice had planned to go to a nightclub but couldn't get in and decided to walk home instead.
Since then, there have been conflicting reports about whether Bice may have been too intoxicated to get into the club.
A Spanish National Police official said the cause of death was not known but there were no signs of foul play.
Friends said Bice was last seen outside the Riviera concert venue and discotheque in the early hours of Saturday, Feb. 26. The family he was staying with set a plate for him at lunch later in the day and raised the alarm when they realized he was not in his bedroom.
Friend Maria Garcia said Bice and his friends had been drinking at an apartment before going out to the club. A doorman suggested he rest a while before going in because he looked unwell. A friend stayed outside with him until Bice said he was going home.
Larry Bice, the student's father, from Carlsbad, Calif., flew to Madrid last week to help search for his son. He had praised efforts by the Spanish police to find Austin.
Asked about the reports that his son may have been intoxicated before disappearing, Larry Bice told CBS News' "The Early Show" he hadn't sought to interrogate Austin's friends.
