Body found in San Clemente ID'd as missing 22-year-old

SAN CLEMENTE (CNS) - The body of a man found in a flood control channel next to San Clemente High School was identified Sunday as a missing 22-year-old landscape architect, last seen a week ago.

"We were able to identify him late last night, based upon facial comparison to his driver's license," the sheriff's department's Carrie Braun told City News Service.

Dogs handled by the Orange County sheriff's Search and Rescue team found the body of Nicholas "Nick'' Stevens at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the flood channel. It was located between a fast food restaurant and the baseball field of San Clemente High School, at 700 Avenida Pico, Braun said.

"The incident is being handled as a suspicious death investigation, but a manner of death has not been determined,'' she said.

Stevens was last seen Nov. 6 at the 7-Eleven at 1802 N. E Camino Real, she said.

"Since that time, homicide investigators, Search and Rescue, and air support have worked together to locate Stevens.''