On 9/29/11 the lake lure pd received a phone call from operator’s employer, lake lure tours, that he had not shown up for work and he had not called them.  The employer stated Operator had some medical problems and wished for the pd to go to the home of Operator and check on him.  He was renting a small house in the area of lake lure.  Sgt went to the home and didn't fine anyone around or in the residence.  He was told Operator owned a canoe and sometimes would go out on the lake.

Sgt patrolled the lake to see if he could find Operator.  Sgt patrolled up river channel towards the head waters of the lake and found the canoe overturned along the edge of an embankment behind town hall.  He found a body around 75 yards upstream of the canoe floating that was later identified as Operator.

I arrived at the location approximately 3:00pm and the lake lure fire department recovered the body.  Lt/det and myself recovered the canoe.  We turned the canoe upright and a type iii pfd was trapped beneath the canoe but was not affixed to the canoe.  There was a paddle wedged between the front seat and bottom of the canoe.

Operator was not wearing a pfd.  There was not any evidence that suggested foul play.  No witnesses came forward.
Lake lure ems transported the body to rutherford county hospital.
LAKE LURE                     