Cadaver dog locates missing Lake LBJ boater’s body
The body of a 44-year-old man who went missing after his boat slammed into a large wave two days prior was recovered July 14 with the assistance of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department cadaver K9.
Officials identified the man as Jesse Marcus Estes of Sarita.
On July 12, Estes and several other people were in a boat that afternoon when it struck a wave along the Colorado arm of Lake LBJ. The impact threw Estes, who was the boat operator, and the other occupants into the water. First responders were able to rescue all of the boat’s occupants Friday except Estes.
More than a dozen TPWD game wardens as well as Burnet County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Lower Colorado River Authority rangers, and six Highland Lakes fire departments searched for the man. Game wardens employed three of the their side scan boats along with one each from the LRCA and Horseshoe Bay Fire Department.
Divers from a number of units also assisted.
“The search and recovery effort was complicated by several factors, including: high boat traffic in the area where the incident occurred, as well as numerous underwater obstacles, such as manmade debris, large rocks and other natural features that limited sonar effectiveness and diver visibility,” a TPWD media release stated.
On Sunday, TPWD game wardens brought in one of its human remains K9s. According to the media release, the dog “alerted in the same area where the accident occurred, and while making a second pass to pinpoint the location, Texas game wardens observed the victim in close proximity to where searchers had focused efforts as well as where the K9 had alerted.”
Burnet County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Roxanne Nelson pronounced Estes deceased. No autopsy was ordered.
This is the third fatality on Lake LBJ in the past three weeks. On June 26, a 20-year-old Sugarland man died in a boating accident on the Colorado arm of the lake near the Legends community. And, on July 11, emergency crews recovered a woman’s body near the confluence of the Colorado River arm of Lake LBJ near the Ranch Road 1431 bridge.
3 thoughts on “Cadaver dog locates missing Lake LBJ boater’s body”
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Texas Parks and Wildlife, LCRA and State of Texas needs to band jet ski’s during holiday weeks / weekends on Lake LBJ. These three entities need to also start policing more often the Colorado Arm of Lake LBJ. These high speed wake boats are dangerous both for people on the water and for homeowners along the lake. On the night of July 9th on the Colorado Arm of Lake LBJ I witnessed 10 teenagers at 10 PM on kayaks and stand up boards in the middle of the lake. Not sure where the adult supervision was, but what I can say had a boat come down the lake the boater driving would never have been able tosee those kids in the dark. Very very sad how disrespectful people have become to our once serene lake life.I place a lot of blame on the numerous nightly rentals and not explaining to their “guests” how to respect the water and the rules of the lake.
There appears to be something in common on all three. Location, location, location. Now, the question is why so many deaths in the last few weeks all near Kingsland? I suspect investigators are checking. Secondly, if i recall correctly, there is bridge remains near the woman’s PWC & body location. Was that a factor?
The newspaper said the woman passed from a medical event. I think (not positive) the other two were on the Colorado.