PUTNAM COUNTY, Ga. — The search for an Atlanta teacher who disappeared on Lake Oconee entered its 10th day on Monday.
Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills told Channel 2′s Mark Winne that his office, Georgia Department of Natural Resources wardens, and trained volunteer groups like the Emergency Dive Response Team, and others were searching the lake for Westminster teacher and coach Gary Jones.
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At the same time, the sheriff was poring over the small plastic boat that Jones set out in on Feb. 8 with his fiancé, Spelman instructor Joycelyn Wilson. Her body was recovered from the lake on Feb. 9.
Sills said the cowl was off the top of the motor but the motor was running when the boat was discovered with no passengers, according to witnesses.
“All the evidence points that Gary Jones is somewhere in Lake Oconee,” Sills said.
Putnam County Sheriff’s Detective James Turk said Saturday a search dog alerted four or five times in one area.
“We had a cadaver dog come volunteer (to) come out, handler, and the dog definitely showed interest in this area,” Turk said.
Emergency Dive Response team leader Richard Pickering said crews were out on the water deploying 360-degree sonar at the bottom of the lake to help with the search.
“No recovery effort has ever had the number of personnel and assets that are being used in this case, ever before,” Sills said.
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