On 11-11-13 at approximately 22:15 hours, I (Wildlife Officer) was contacted  that Cheatham  county had started to look for the overdue fisherman.  At approximately 22:30 the Boat ( 14'' polarcraft Johnboat)  was found in  the mouth of Johnson creek. ( Lat: 36.312321, Long: -87.210403). I proceeded to the boat ramp that is located in that bay.  When I arrived at the location the boat had been taken to the boat ramp in which the boat had been put in at. The Cheatham WO secured the boat in the Army corps (AC) compound and inspected the boat.   At this point the Dickson County Rescue Squad (DCRS) had begun to look in the bay using side scan sonar and had cadaver dogs on site to aid in finding the missing fisherman.  In conjunction with the water search, the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) had a helicopter flying over the area looking for heat signatures using a Forward looking infra-red scope.

On 11-12-13 the search continued starting from the night before. (00:00 hours) The DCRS continued the search with side scan sonar until 0345 hours where the search was halted until 0900 hours that morning.   At  0900 hours the DCRS, AC, TWRA, CCES, and THP continued the search for KDE.  With windy cold temperatures and poor water visibility the search continued with side scan sonar and drags. Areas that presented a possible sonar hit were dragged to insure that that area was being covered.  This continued until 17:00 that afternoon when the search was halted until the next morning.

On 11-13-13 the Searched continued starting at 0900 hours.  TWRA, DCRS, AC, CCES, USCG and others expanded that search area using side scan sonar. TWRA deployed a submersible UAV with HD sonar. The bay that the boat was found in was searched thoroughly.  Searching continued until 1630 hours   
     
On 11-14-13 patrolling of the area produced no definite sonar hits or recovery.    

On 11-15-13 patrolling of the area produced no definite sonar hits or recovery.

On  11-16-13 at approximately  0100 hours the Dickson County Dive and Recovery Team (DCDRT) got a sonar hit that resembled a body in the bay that the boat was recovered in.  The team dragged the area and at approx.  0430 hours pulled up the coat of the victim.  At approx. 0455 hours the victim was snagged with a drag and the DCDRT notified TWRA and I arrived on scene at 0520 hours. I contacted the Dickson County coroner''s office. At 0637 hours I removed a wallet, cell phone and a knife from the victim as evidence and positively identified the body.  At   0848 hours the state coroner''s employees arrived and took custody. A autopsy was requested by TWRA and the autopsy will be on the 11-17-13.  

In addition the victim''s family informed me and other investigating officers that victim had had multiple heart surgeries, the last of which was just a year ago, hypertension, high cholesterol, and was not in the best of health. Also he had gained weight  since his surgeries.
ASHLAND CITY