A massive search is underway for a Georgia teacher who vanished while celebrating his 50th birthday on a lake. His fiancée was found dead the next day.
Gary Jones, a teacher at Westminster Schools, and his fiancée, Joycelyn Wilson, disappeared on February 8. Their empty fishing boat was discovered circling on Lake Oconee, about 70 miles east of Atlanta.
The following day, first responders found Wilson's body near the area where Jones' shoes were left behind. Officials say both were strong swimmers, and investigators believe they were thrown from the boat.
Small Boat May Have Been Unsafe
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills said the couple's boat was not suited for Lake Oconee.
"I'm not being critical, but this boat was not appropriate for this water," Sills told reporters. "It was a dangerous situation to start with."
Dive teams and cadaver dogs continue searching the lake for Jones.
Timeline of Events
Authorities say the couple had picked up a fishing boat, checked into a hotel, and set out on the lake to celebrate Jones' milestone birthday.
They were last seen around 3:30 p.m. on February 8. Less than two hours later, the boat was found empty and spinning in circles. A cookie with icing was still onboard, along with Jones' wallet, driver's license, and hotel key card.
Fiancée's Body Provided Key Clues
Wilson, a math instructor at Spelman College, was found floating in the lake the next day. Sheriff Sills said air remained in her lungs when she died, which may help investigators understand what happened.
"I'm not saying she didn't drown—that's for the medical examiner to determine—but she didn't sink to the bottom," Sills told 11 Alive.
She was still holding her cellphone when she was recovered.
Did the Boat Hit Something?
Richard Pickering, from the Emergency Dive Response Team, addressed volunteers assisting in the search.
"One theory is that the boat's motor hit something, causing them to be thrown overboard," Pickering told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
However, investigators found no damage to the boat that would confirm that theory.
Community Joins Search
Among those searching is Westminster Schools alumna Lauren Cherry.
"He was like a father figure to all of us," Cherry told Fox 5 Atlanta. "If he knew one of us was missing, he'd be the first one looking."
A Love Story Cut Short
Jones and Wilson first met 30 years ago at Clark Atlanta University. They reconnected years later and got engaged over the holidays. Their wedding was set for March 14.
Authorities continue searching Lake Oconee for any sign of Jones.
