Subject STATED THAT Operator BORROWED A RED OLD TOWN KATAHDIN CANOE FROM HIM WITH THE INTENTION OF USING IT FOR FISHING AT AROUND 2:00PM ON 5/13/11.  LATER THIS SAME DAY, Operator DROVE HIS BLACK FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCK TO PEMBROKE LAKE LOCATED AT THE END OF CHESTNUT AVENUE IN NEW BERN AND PARKED AT THE BOAT LANDING.

TWO DAYS LATER ON 5/15/11, two people LAUNCHED THEIR JON BOAT AT APPROXIMATELY 1:30PM, AND BEGAN FISHING IN PEMBROKE LAKE.  THEY FOUND operator's OVERTURNED CANOE FLOATING UP AGAINST THE BANK OF THE LAKE NEAR THE NORTHWESTERN CORNER OF THE LAKE.  The two fisherman CONTINUED FISHING AROUND THE LAKE'S PERIMETER AND THEN DISCOVERED victim's BODY FLOATING IN THE WATER.  THEY CALLED 911 AND THEN RETURNED TO THE LANDING TO WAIT FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES.

EMS, NEW BERN FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND NEW BERN POLICE RESPONDED TO THE CALL.  THE NEW BERN FIRE DEPARTMENT AND NEW BERN POLICE RECOVERED THE BODY, AND EMS THEN TRANSPORTED IT TO CAROLINA EAST MEDICAL CENTER.  THE NEW BERN POLICE PHOTOGRAPHED THE SCENE AND PROCESSED THE EVIDENCE.

A FISHING ROD AND CONTAINER OF WORMS BELIEVED TO BELONG TO the operator WERE FOUND ON SHORE NEAR THE LANDING AREA.  THE FISHING ROD WAS A TWO PIECE ROD AND HAD NOT BEEN ASSEMBLED.  Operator WAS NOT WEARING A PFD AT THE TIME HIS BODY WAS FOUND, AND NO PFD WAS FOUND WITH THE CANOE OR ANYWHERE IN THE LAKE.  BOTH operator's WIFE AND HIS FATHER IN LAW STATED THAT operator LOVED TO FISH and COULD SWIM, AND HAD EXPERIENCE OPERATING BOATS.  the operator's WIFE HOWEVER, WAS NOT SURE OF operator's FAMILIARITY WITH OPERATING A CANOE.  BOTH operator's WIFE AND HIS FATHER IN LAW INFORMED ME THAT operator HAD DIABETES AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.  operator'S FATHER IN LAW STATED THAT operator'S DIABETES WAS WELL CONTROLLED BY MEDICATION, AND HE WAS NOT AWARE OF operator SUFFERING FROM ANY INSTANCES OF DIABETIC COMA, INSULIN SHOCK, OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR ADVERSE EFFECTS FROM operator'S DIABETES.

operator's WIFE SAID operator DID FISH WITH OTHER PEOPLE ON OCCASION BUT WAS NOT AWARE IF HE HAD BEEN FISHING WITH ANYONE ON 5/13/11.  SHE STATED THAT SHE HAD NOT EVEN KNOWN THAT operator WAS GOING FISHING AND HAD THOUGHT operator HAD POSSIBLY GONE TO SMITHFIELD TO VISIT WITH HIS SON.  operator'S WIFE STATED operator WOULD LEAVE TO VISIT HIS SON FROM TIME TO TIME AND OFTEN NOT TELL HER OF HIS TRIP BEFORE LEAVING.

AN AUTOPSY WAS PERFORMED ON operator'S BODY IN GREENVILLE, NC ON 5/17/11.  THE EXAMINATION CONFIRMED DROWNING AS THE CAUSE OF DEATH. NO INJURIES OR BRUISING WERE FOUND ON operator'S BODY ALTHOUGH THE BODY HAD SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIORATED BY THE TIME IT WAS FOUND.  THE EXACT TIME OF operator'S DEATH IS UNKNOWN.  THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES PRECEEDING operator'S DROWNING AND THE SPECIFIC CAUSES OF IT ARE ALSO UNKNOWN.  AN AUTOPSY REPORT IS FORTHCOMING.
NEW BERN                      