A month after a San Francisco radio DJ went missing following a disturbing social media post, police located his body. The body of Jeffrey “JV” Vandergrift, who aired a morning show on Wild 94.9 FM from 6 to 10 a.m. PT, was recovered from the San Francisco Bay near Pier 39 on Wednesday.
The cause of death was still unknown as of Friday morning, according to authorities. His wife, the radio host, and model Natasha Yi posted a lengthy tribute to her husband on Facebook early Friday morning as news of his death spread. She also requested privacy for her family at this difficult time.
“I struggle to write this to you as I can barely breathe or see through the pain and tears,” Yi wrote.
“Every moment he was missing was agonizing for me. But the pain I feel now is something I have never felt before. My heart is crushed, and I cannot see myself ever moving forward, ever feeling joy or being at peace.”
She said that she won’t go into detail just yet, but that “JV did not want to leave any of us.” “I am devastated that the love of my life is gone,” she wrote to him after his death. I can say with certainty, however, that JV took great pride in his work and valued his relationships with everyone of you.
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I know he loved me just as much as I love him because he loved his family. Our connection was unparalleled.
“For now, I am with JV’s family in mourning, and we all ask for privacy during this time. I know all of you cared for and loved JV, so please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Remember his laugh, kindness and the immense impact he had on many of you and our entire community.”
Yi ended her post with this message: “JV, my love, I will cherish the time we had together and will miss you until the day I see you again.” A memorial for Vandergrift was shared on the radio station’s social media accounts. Police said Vandergift was last seen at his home on February 23 at approximately 10 p.m.
JV, we will miss you. You are forever a Bay Area icon pic.twitter.com/9A6oGYHEkt
— WiLD 94.9 (@Wild949) March 23, 2023
Since then, “Since that time, there has been no trackable activity on his cell phone,” Wild 94.9 said in a Facebook post on his absence. DJ E-Rock of Las Vegas, Nevada, another radio presenter and buddy, also paid tribute on social media, writing,
“I was honored to spend so many years on the same team as him, I got to experience brilliance up close and from afar during my time at Wild 94.9.”
By the end of my time there, I shared a meaningful moment with JV. Vandergrift’s cryptic Instagram message thanking his supporters on the day he vanished immediately raised red flags.
His last Instagram post was modified at some time, with the current version written in the past tense, as pointed out in the comments section of the San Francisco Police Department’s missing person flyer.
It is with great sadness that all of us Bay Area natives have lost a member our family today… JV had a connection w/ his listeners that impeccably GREAT. I was lucky to spend so many years on the same team as him, I got to watch greatness up close and afar throughout my time at… pic.twitter.com/BV1Iybyq55
— DJ E-Rock (@DJERock) March 23, 2023
“Thank you for a wonderful life-filed w with joy, laughs, pain & struggle,” the post reads. “It’s been a great journey. Your support & prayers meant the world. Keep shinin’ love…” Following the Bay Area radio station’s homage on Twitter, listeners expressed their sadness and admiration for the late DJ.
“Sending his people so much love,” one person tweeted. “This is so heart breaking. I’ve thought about JV every single day since I learned he was missing. This is absolutely tragic.”
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