CHIPPEWA COUNTY, WI — A 78-year-old Balsam Lake man who was reported missing after a fishing trip near Holcombe was found deceased late Thursday night, according to a press release from the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office.
PRESS RELEASE
On Thursday April 9th 2026, the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a family member of Gary Ebensperger at about 10:50PM indicating that Gary had gone fishing in Holcombe and they had not heard from Gary since about 4PM, which concerned them.
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The Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office responded to the last known area Gary had been in and at approximately 11:09PM we were able to confirm that Gary was not in his vehicle or camper. The search for Gary continued. Within an hour the Sheriff’s Office had attempted to locate Gary using his cell phone data, and drones had been deployed to assist with the search. The Sheriff’s Office also deployed a K9 to assist in locating Gary.
Tragically, Gary was located in the river unresponsive. The Sheriff’s Office contacted the Chippewa County Coroner who responded to the scene.
Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Cornell Fire and EMS services, Mayo, and the Chippewa County Coroner.
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Our thoughts and condolences are with Gary’s family during this difficult time.
-- Per Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes
Last Update: Apr 10, 2026 2:38 pm CDT
