RedactedNarrative: SUMMARY
  
  On June 29, 2020, at approximately 1400 hours, I, Marine Enforcement Manager, was on patrol at Elephant Butte Lake State Park in uniform displaying my badge of office. I received a radio call from Sierra County Dispatch Authority (SCRDA) about a person missing in the water on Elephant Butte Lake. Based on GPS coordinates gained from a ping of the witness's phone, I responded by boat to McRae Canyon and found the witness's rental pontoon boat. 
  
  I made contact with the witness, who was sitting at the helm of a rental pontoon boat holding her phone. She stated her boyfriend and the victim had jumped into the water, started having trouble, and went under. When asked where she last saw him, she pointed to an area just south of our location. She stated her boyfriend was an African-American male wearing black shorts. I directed the other patrol boat to search the area she had identified for any signs of the missing person. 
  
  I observed two orange Type II PFDs and a dark blue Type IV throwable PFD floating in the water to the north of our location. I observed some personal items and water bottles in the pontoon boat. Subject1 appeared to be in good condition but visibly shaken up. The wind was from the south that day and the weather was clear. The air temperature was about 92 degrees and the water temp was 75.2 degrees at our location. 
  
  WITNESS INTERVIEW & STATEMENT
  
  Subject1 stated to me that her and her boyfriend were on vacation in NM. They rented the pontoon boat from Marina Del Sur at around 1230. Once they finished the rental process, they headed out on the lake and stopped behind the McRae cove rock formation. The victim stated he was going to take a quick dip because it was so hot. She stated the victim jumped into the water from the back of the boat and when he surfaced, shouted help me and immediately exhibited signs of distress. 
  
  Subject1 stated she threw him an orange lifejacket, but the victim couldn't reach it. Subject1 threw him a second lifejacket and again he could not reach it. Subject1 then threw him the blue seat cushion (Type IV PFD) but the victim could not grab it. 
  
  Subject1 the stated she was able to get the boat started and drove toward the victim and circled him. The victim was waving his arms in the water by this time and she could not get the boat close to him. The victim then disappeared below the surface. 
  
  Subject1 said she even considered jumping in after him at this point but stopped herself. Subject1 called 911 and the rangers arrived several minutes later. Subject1 described the victim as an African American Male with tattoos on his hands, arms. and chest. He had a thin build and was wearing black shorts. Subject1 stated they had flown into Albuquerque last week and spent time in Taos, Santa Fe, and Albuquerque. They traveled to Elephant Butte today and planned on spending the night in Faywood NM. They were to travel to the El Paso area the next day and eventually fly out of the El Paso Airport. Subject1 stated they had not eaten yet that day and had only been drinking water.
  
  Once Subject1 gave me her statement, she provided me with her driver's license and the victim's driver's license. I tied my patrol boat to the rental boat in a side-by-side tow and asked Subject1 to take me to the area she last remembers seeing the victim, which she did. The location was marked, and it was in 55 feet of water about 150 yards south of where I had found Subject1. I then towed her and the boat back to the main boat ramp where Assistant Park Superintendent, Sierra Vista EMS, and NM State Police were waiting.
  
  I photographed the rental pontoon boat and then returned to the search area to sweep the shoreline and general area with the other patrol boat. After about an hour of searching I sent the other patrol boat back to resume regular duties and continued to search the area until the NM State Police Dive and Recovery team arrived around 1700 hours. I assisted the dive team in their initial search until about 000 hours that night. Rangers and NM State Police continued shoreline searches and underwater searches until July 3, when NM State Police called off the underwater search.
  
  On July 4, 2020 at about 0732 hours, Ranger Cadet called me at home and stated he found a body floating near the shoreline in McRae Canyon during his morning shoreline search. I instructed Cadet to stay with the body at that location until additional resources arrived. I contacted SCRDA and Sgt. with the NM State Police Dive Team to let them know we had found a body. 
  
  We recovered the body of an African-American male wearing black shorts. The body had large ear piercings, or gauge holes, in them, and I could observe several tattoos on his left arm in an area where the dark skin had sluffed off. 
  
  The body also had lime green fingernail and toenail polish. The condition of the body was consistent with that of a drowning victim being found floating face down. The body was packaged up by OMI and transported to the main boat ramp for further transport to the OMI office in Albuquerque for an autopsy and positive ID. Preliminary identification of the body was made based on his tattoos, ear piercings, skin color, and cloth in description. The body was released to Kirikos Funeral Home for transport to the OMI office in Albuquerque. A notice of findings from the Office of the Medical Examiner has been requested and will be attached when provided. 
  
  On July 4, 2020 at 1230 hours, I notified the possible victim's sister in person that we did recover a body. During the interview with OMI, the sister identified several of his tattoos, his gauges, and the fact his finger and toenails were usually painted green or yellow.
  
  Based on the witness interview and observations made at the scene, this appears to be an accidental drowning pending results from the Office Of Medical Investigator. 
  
  The point last seen was located at: 33°11'57.5"N, 107°10'39.2"W.
  
  Body recovery location: 33.20133, -107.17297.
  
  Weather at 1330–1400 on June 29 was winds from the southwest at about 5–10 mph.