On the 20th day of January 2023, GPD Officer 1 and Officer 2 were dispatched to 13000-blk of Settagast Rd in reference to a missing person. They were contacted and advised that the missing person took a kayak out earlier that morning but had not returned. They responded to the area and spoke with the family on scene. The officer was advised that O1 would bring his whitish grey kayak to Galveston to fish on a regular basis. He was described as an experienced kayaker and a good swimmer, stated to always have a life jacket on his vessel but unknown if he was wearing it. He brings waders with him but typically doesn`t wear them while on the vessel. The wife advised that her husband didn`t have any medical conditions.

He left around 0330am that morning. His wife was busy at work all day and didn`t think of anything when she didn`t hear from him all day. She was surprised he hadn`t returned by the time she had gotten off of work and his phone went to voicemail when she called. She drove to Galveston and used her phone app to track his last location about 100 yard from a kayak boat ramp on Settagast Rd. His truck was on location but unable to locate him when the family called 911.

Due to increased wind and rain, the officers were unable to fly the drones in the area. The weather showed a constant wind blowing towards the west through the day around 17 mph. United States Coast Guard (USCG) was contacted for assistance. They advised they were waiting on weather conditions to clear up before they could send a helicopter to assist. JBFD was contacted and they were able to send a PWC to assist in searching the shallow water area near the boat ramp around West Bay.

His wife had seen her husband highlight Carancahua Lake on the map as a possible fishing site. She asked her husband how he was going to get there and he advised that he had a trolling motor on his kayak to cross West Bay.

USCG had sent vessels to search around the ICW near Greens and Carancahua Lake. Brazoria Search and Rescue contacted the officer and advised the USCG requested their assistance. They were going to launch near Chocolate Bayou and run up the ICW in an airboat to check further up in Carancahua Lake.

On 01/22/2023 Officer was advised by Lt. that O1 was located deceased. The Galveston Marine Division assisted with the recovery and transport of the body. he met Lt. and the Marine Division at the Pelican Rest Marina. In the boat He observed the body to be in a yellow mesh body bag and he observed the body to be face up, wearing a white long-sleeve shirt, tan shorts, long underpants, socks, and gloves. Also observed was a fully inflated personal floatation device on the chest (PFD). the PFD to have a CO2 canister and a pull tab when pulled it releases the CO2 canister inflating the device. It appeared the pull tab had been pulled. No obvious external injuries, and the body was observed to be in rigor mortis.
2350 WEST BAY
jamica beach                  