Cove 1C, Lake Norfork

Update:

The body of the boating incident (see original press release below) has been identified as 67 year old Jerry Dale Miller of Hardy, Arkansas. According to family members Miller had been visiting family in the Hand Cove Area of Baxter County, and had gone fishing alone that morning.

The boat was recovered in approximately 18 feet of water by the Arkansas Game and Fish Dive and Recovery Team around 6 pm this date (Saturday) and released to the victim's family. The incident is still under investigation by the Arkansas State Game and Fish and the Baxter County Sheriff's Office. The body has been sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner to determine the cause and manner of death.

Sheriff John Montgomery

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The Baxter County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a man found on Lake Norfork. At approximately 6:05 pm, the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a body that was found in Lake Norfork.  It was reported that kids on jet skis had observed what looked like a body in the lake. The kids went back to the boat dock at Jordan Marina and told the dock owners who called 911.

Baxter County Sheriff’s Deputies and Corp Rangers responded to the area and confirmed the body as well as a boat that was submerged in the water near by. Investigators from the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office along with divers from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office were called to the scene. The body was recovered without incident. The Baxter County Coroner arrived and pronounced the victim deceased. This area is known as Cove 1C, located approximately 1.5 miles east of Woods Point, about ½ mile from the Fulton County Line.

Although Identification was recovered from the body, and the boat registration checked back to the believed victim, the name of the victim is not being released pending the positive identification of the person and the notification of next of kin.  At the time of this release, preparations are being made to recover the boat from approximately 18 feet of water.  It is hoped the recovery of the boat will reveal clues to  help investigators better determine the sequence of events that caused this tragedy.

The body of the white male is being sent to the Arkansas Medical Examiner’s Office in Little Rock to determine the cause and manner of death as well as to make positive identification of the body. The investigation is continuing.

Sheriff John Montgomery