An Oklahoma man initially reported missing to the Oakdale Police Department at the start of rodeo weekend has been identified as the victim found along Highway 99 in Merced County last week.

According to Oakdale Police Chief Jerry Ramar, the Merced County Coroner’s Office contacted his department Wednesday night to inform them that Kevin Green – the man reported missing – had been positively identified.

“We were conducting an investigation,” said Ramar. “Green’s brother arrived in Oakdale without Kevin and reported him missing.”

Initial reports indicated Green had possibly gone missing from the rodeo grounds but, said Ramar, “he never made it to Oakdale.”

The body of a man found along Highway 99 at Bradbury Road near Delhi in Merced County was reported the day that Green’s brother, a rodeo competitor, arrived in Oakdale.

It was not positively identified until this week, said authorities.

“It was reported that he was traveling in a trailer attached to a tow vehicle,” added Ramar. “At this point we have not been able to determine how he got out of the trailer and on to the highway.”

The CHP was called to respond to the incident along Highway 99 after the body was struck by multiple vehicles, said the OPD Chief.

Though the case was originally being investigated by Oakdale PD for the missing persons report, Ramar said it is no longer their investigation, with the body of the missing man recovered in Merced County.

“We have no jurisdiction at this point,” Ramar explained. “We turned everything over to CHP and Merced County. We sent them all of our documentation today.”

The investigation is continuing.