Body of missing Canyon man likely found at Lake Meredith

FRITCH, Texas (KFDA) - The body of Ryan Kennedy, the Canyon man who went missing at Lake Meredith in December, may have been found.

According to Game Warden Shane Lewis, the body was found this morning further north than the area previously searched.

The body was located around 500 yards from where Kennedy’s boat was found.

On Friday, May 1, Lake Meredith staff located and recovered a backpack and rifle near where the boat was located. The National Park Service Resources Division then sent their towed sidescan sonar unit and operator back to Lake Meredith to aid in the concentrated search.

The sidescan search took place from May 3 to May 5.

The sidescan sonar located the body on May 5.

Officials say evidence shows he did try to swim.

The body has been sent to Lubbock for autopsy and positive identification.

Kennedy was last heard from in December when he called his family to tell them he had killed a deer at Lake Meredith and would be heading home. However, he did not return home.

That night, rangers found the man’s truck and boat trailer.

The search continued until his boat was found in April and his body found today.

Lake Meredith National Recreation Area Superintendent Eric Smith expressed his gratitude to everyone who assisted in the search.

“While it was a team effort to locate and recover the boat, belongings and body, it was through sheer determination and unwillingness to give up by one of Lake Meredith’s team members that this search is potentially coming to a close,” said Smith.

Smith says all visitors to the lake should remember the risks when recreating around water.

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