March 21, 2012

Body of Missing Man Found by Cornell Rowing Coaches in Cayuga Lake

Print More

UpdatedSeveral coaches from the Cornell rowing team helped recover a body they found in Cayuga Lake Thursday morning, according to Todd Kennett ’91, head coach of the men’s heavyweight rowing team.

The deceased was identified as Brian Washington Jr., a 25-year-old Ithaca resident who was reported missing to the Ithaca Police Department on Jan. 30, according to an IPD press release.

IPD investigators have been in regular contact with Washington’s family, who had not heard from him since he was reported missing, the press release stated.

The cause of Washington’s death is still unknown, but is being investigated as a “suspicious death” pending the results of an autopsy, according to the IPD. The IPD statement added that the crew team had been practicing when it found Washington’s body “floating” in the water.

Kennett said that Washington’s body, which was discovered before 8:45 a.m. and brought to the entrance of the Cayuga Inlet, had “been there for a while.”

“Only the coaches saw it … we sent all the crews away before they knew what was happening,” Kennett said.

At about 8:50 a.m., police were investigating a “possible dead body in the water,” according to radio reports.

Upon arriving, one officer said, “this is a definite old circulation and recovery.”

The Ithaca Fire Department removed Washington’s body near the entrance to the marina at Allan H. Treman State Marine Park shortly before 9:30 a.m., according to The Ithaca Journal.

The Ithaca Police Department is leading an investigation. The New York State Park Police and Bangs Ambulance assisted at the scene.

Jeff Stein contributed reporting to this article.

Original Author: Liz Camuti