Operator bought the above listed boat a few months back, and had some motor work done to it. He had not used this boat much at all. On 9-30-2023, Operator pulled the boat to a family owned private pond to try it out. According to his life 360 app on his phone, Operator got to the pond at 1640 hours. Operator’s wife could not contact Operator by phone and rode over to check on Operator. 

In a statement, she stated she called Operator shortly after 5 pm and did not get an answer. She called again after 7:00 pm and did not get an answer that time either. She then rode over to the pond looking for Operator and did not see him or the boat. She then went across the street to another house and got Subject1 and his grandson to go back to the pond with her. Subject1 saw the boat up against the bank on the far right side of the pond. 

Operator was found deceased with his left arm up in the back compartment of the boat near the battery. He was face down in the water and the rest of his body was in the water. Subject1 got in the water and pulled Operator’s body up onto the bank. Operator was nude from the waist down. Operator’s underwear was wrapped around the propeller of the boat. The boat was found off but in forward gear. The engine cut off switch was pulled loose. There was a good amount of water in the back of the boat. Operator was found at approximately 730 pm. Upon inspection of the vessel there was no safety equipment found.

The victim had multiple lacerations on the lower left leg around the ankle area. The lacerations were consistent with propeller strikes.

Private Pond