Search Ends for Missing Victim at John Martin Reservoir

John Martin Reservoir

John Martin Reservoir

A body was recovered from John Martin Reservoir in Bent County shortly after 1pm on Monday, June 20th.  According to Rick Stwalley of Bent County Emergency Management, the body was recovered in about 20 feet of water at the bottom of the reservoir about a half a mile south of the railroad trestle where the search began Saturday afternoon.  The identity of the victim has not been revealed at this time.  The Bent County Coroner is conducting an examination for the exact cause of death.  According to Stwalley, some, but not all of the family members have been notified of the recovery.  An official media release is expected from the Bent County Sheriff’s Office once the reports have been completed.

Stwalley said the recovery was made off an alert from a dog team from Pueblo West which had been brought in to aid divers and additional search efforts by several southeast Colorado respond teams. The discovery was made by a dive team from the El Paso Fire Department with assistance provided by the Prowers County Rural Fire Department.  The search began when two people went into the water Saturday afternoon off of what is thought to have been a four person raft.  Neither the man nor the woman had been wearing life vests.  She was recovered holding onto a tree that was above the water’s surface.  A search continued all of Sunday and into Monday for the missing man.

By Russ Baldwin

Filed Under: City of WileyCountyEventsFeaturedHot TopicsLaw EnforcementPolice ReportPublic Safety

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