The body of a missing teen was recovered from a Kentucky lake during an extensive search days after she mysteriously vanished from a boating party, according to authorities.
The remains of Marly Kinney, 19, were pulled from Grayson Lake around 3:45 p.m. on Sunday — five days after she disappeared while partying on a rented pontoon boat with at least 10 friends, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
Kinney, of Ashland, was last seen around 4 p.m. on Wednesday, before she went overboard to use the bathroom. Her group of friends didn’t initially realize she was missing, according to investigators.
Multiple law enforcement agencies deployed sonar, thermal detectors, helicopters, K-9 teams, heat-seeking, and underwater drones in the hunt for the missing teen, last seen in a pink, orange and white bikini.
More than 50 volunteers joined the search, despite scattered rain showers hampering efforts to find the girl. It’s unclear how Kinney’s body was eventually found.
The pontoon boat’s driver, Cameron P. Conley, 23, was taken into custody for boating under the influence after Kentucky State Police responded to the call to help find Kinney on Wednesday, WOWK 13 previously reported.
A trooper reportedly smelled alcohol and saw that Conley’s eyes were bloodshot and glassy while speaking to him. He failed a breathalyzer test and was transported to the Carter County Detention Center.
Kinney’s family has been notified, and the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort will now determine the cause of her death.
Smokin’ J’s Rib and Brewhouse, where Kinney worked, announced it would be closed for the next two days so her coworkers could mourn her loss.
“The Smoking J’s Family is saddened by the loss of one of our own, Marly Kinney,” the Ashland restaurant wrote in a Facebook Post.
“Marly was a model employee loved by all. Always with a friendly smile and a kind word. She was loved by her fellow coworkers and friends, many who have been volunteering over these last few days,” the statement added.
“Our love and prayers go out to Marlys’ family and friends through this tragic loss.”
This case remains under investigation, authorities said.
Anyone with information on Kinney’s disappearance is urged to contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement at 800-25-ALERT (25378) or Kentucky State Police Post 14 at 606-928-6421.
