Body found in search for missing 22-year-old last seen with friends at Lake Murray
A body was found during the search for a missing man last seen camping with friends at Lake Murray, the Newberry Coutny Sheriff’s Office said Monday.
The body was found in the water near the campsite where Carlos Baca was last seen, the sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
The 22-year-old was reported missing Sunday at Dreher Island Park on Lake Murray, the sheriff’s office said. That’s about 30 miles from Columbia.
Baca and his friends entered a closed portion of the park and set up tents to camp at the site, according to the Facebook post.
He was last seen at 3 a.m. Sunday, the sheriff’s office said. After being contacted by Baca’s friends, park rangers reported him missing to the sheriff’s office at about 9:30 a.m., according to the post.
Baca left with his keys and wallet, but left his cellphone behind, it said in the post.
The body was recovered at about 3 p.m., just off the shore from the campsite by the Newberry County Water Rescue and Dive Team, the sheriff’s office said. Divers found the body where the water is about nine feet deep, according to the post.
Newberry County Coroner Laura Kneece will publicly identify the person after notifying the next of kin.
Along with Newberry County Emergency Services, the sheriff’s office said the search for Baca included its deputies, park rangers, members of the South Carolina State Guard Search and Rescue team, and the Department of Natural Resources.
They searched Sunday and through the night, using sonar in the water near the campsite and an aerial search was done by a South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) helicopter, according to the post.
It is not an easy area to search, as Dreher Island State Park covers 348 acres, including 12 miles of shoreline on Lake Murray, which encompasses 50,000 acres, according to South Carolina State Parks.
“We are very blessed to have people willing to give of their time to help people in need, especially in today’s inclement weather,” Sheriff Lee Foster said in the post.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 8:51 AM.
