An Orcas Island man whose body washed up on a North Whidbey beach June 23 died from saltwater drowning, the Island County coroner ruled.

David Fleischmann, 66, was last seen alive on board a ferry headed to Anacortes, Island County Coroner Robert Bishop reported.

A beach watcher found Fleischmann’s body in the surf off of Moran Beach at about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 24. His car was later found parked at the ferry terminal on Orcas Island.

Bishop said the timing of the death was initially a mystery because an employee at Madrona Bar and Grill restaurant, Fleischmann’s workplace on Orcas Island, reported seeing him at noon on Wednesday, June 24.

The employee later realized that it had actually been Tuesday, June 23, when Fleischmann was at the restaurant.

After hearing that change in the timeline, Bishop said, the pieces started falling into place.

Fleischmann didn’t show up for his scheduled work shift at 4 p.m. June 23, but was seen eating dinner at a different restaurant on Orcas Island later that day.

Bishop looked at surveillance video from Washington State Ferries to help figure out Fleischmann’s movements. The video shows him getting on the 10:30 p.,. sailing from Orcas Island to Anacortes.

Fleischmann is seen several times on the ferry; he was last seen around 11:40 p.m. as he is walking to the back of the vessel, according to Bishop.

Fleischmann did not get off the ferry when it docked in Anacortes.

His body was found about 16 hours later off of Whidbey Island.

Bishop released Fleischmann’s cause of death following an autopsy.