A body has reportedly been found in the area where a Cumming man, reported missing earlier this week, was believed to have been kayaking on Lake Lanier.
Authorities have not said whether it is the body of 43-year-old Dustin Louis Valencia, who was last seen on Wednesday, May 14, before his disappearance.
As reported by 11 Alive, Valencia had left his home on New Rutgers Walk to get the family’s car serviced. According to his wife, Jennifer Valencia, their children were the last to see him.
A phone tracking app later traced Valencia’s last known location to an area along Samples Road, just south of Buford Dam Road. Authorities subsequently located the silver Honda Accord he had been driving, parked at Little Ridge Park — about a mile and a half from the initial search location.
Search teams from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and several partner agencies combed the area through Wednesday night and resumed efforts Thursday morning, May 15. On that day, a citizen discovered Valencia’s kayak and paddle nearby. Despite that discovery, Valencia remained missing — until Friday, when officials confirmed that a body had been found in the vicinity of the search area.
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the deceased, pending official confirmation and notification of next of kin.
Multiple agencies have been involved in the search and recovery efforts, including the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Forsyth County Fire Department, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Investigators have asked the public to continue reporting any relevant information, and a photo of Valencia’s kayak remains posted on the sheriff’s office Facebook page.
At the time of his disappearance, officials stated there were no known indications that Valencia was experiencing mental health issues.
