Jeffrey ‘JV’ Vandergrift dead: Body of missing Wild 94.9 DJ found after vanishing from home

THE body of a beloved Bay Area radio DJ has been found a month after he went missing.

The remains of Jeffrey Vandergrift, the host of The JV Show on radio station KYLD Wild 94.9, were found in the waters near Pier 39 in San Francisco on Wednesday evening, police confirmed.

A medical examiner confirmed on Thursday that the body was that of the beloved personality, who went by DJ JV on air.

The San Francisco Police Department did not immediately find evidence of foul play.

An autopsy is underway to determine his cause of death.

A fixture on Bay Area radio airwaves since the 1990s, he was best known for hosting The JV Show on weekdays from 6 to 10am.

KYLD Wild 94.9 acknowledged Vandergrift's death with a somber statement: "With a heavy heart, we must confirm that the body found near Pier 39 Wednesday afternoon has been identified as our dear friend, family member and colleague, JV.

"We are devastated to know now that JV is gone. Please keep his wife, Natasha, his family and close friends in your thoughts and prayers. JV, we'll miss you. You are forever a Bay Area icon."

Vandergrift, 55, was last seen leaving his San Francisco home precisely a month ago on the evening of February 23.

He did not tell anyone where he was going, police said.

One of DJ JV's colleagues raised concerns about his disappearance after revealing Vandergrift's cellphone and bank accounts showed no activity since the night he went missing.

In a February 27 Facebook post, his colleague wrote: "As you know, our own JV has been missing since Thursday night and was officially reported missing this past Friday by the SFPD.

"Since that time, there has been no trackable activity on his cell phone. There has also been no activity on his credit cards or any other banking records."

Vandergrift was inactive on social media in the days leading up to his disappearance.

However, the caption on his last Instagram post, which was shared on August 20, 2022, appeared to be edited the week he vanished.

"Thank you for a wonderful life-filed w joy, laughs, pain & struggle," read the post, along with a photo of Vandergrift wearing a Wild 94.9 shirt.

"It’s been a great journey. Your support & prayers meant the world."

The beloved DJ was outspoken with his audience about his personal health struggles dating back to 2021.

He spoke about how a Lyme disease diagnosis took a toll on his body, suffering from conditions like "brain fog, dizziness, migraines and blurred vision."

Lyme disease is an illness caused by borrelia bacteria, which can be transmitted to humans from the bite of a tick carrying the bacteria, according to the Mayo Clinic.

There are three different stages to Lyme disease, which without treatment can cause rashes across the body, neck pain, muscle weakness, joint pain in the knees, pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Earlier this month, Vandergrift's wife, Natasha Yi, shared a heartbreaking update on her husband's disappearance, fearing that he wouldn't return.

Yi wrote on Instagram: "Personal information has recently been discovered that leads us to believe JV will not be coming back.

“At this time, JV officially remains missing according to the SFPD, but no foul play is suspected in his disappearance.

"We are incredibly appreciative for the SFPD's ongoing efforts in locating JV and they have asked us to keep the details to immediate family only."

Yi noted the tremendous pain her husband was going through two years after his diagnosis.

She even called the pain Vandergrift has been going through “physical torture.”

The radio host's disappearance left his wife in “unbearable pain," adding she has been dealing with an "utterly broken heart."

“I will do my best to provide updates and I ask for you to please keep JV in your thoughts and prayers," she said.

"Thank you to our friends and the entire i-HeartRadio family and listeners for your love, support, and prayers. I can feel your love and energy for JV, and I am so grateful for it.”

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.