A 34-year-old man reported missing on Christmas Day was found dead nine days later in a lake that runs along the Alabama–Georgia state line, authorities said.
In a Dec. 26, 2025 bulletin, the Troup County (Georgia) Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) said Fernando Ortiz was last seen around 2 p.m. local time on Dec. 25 on Liberty Hill Road. At the time, he was described as wearing a light green shirt, jeans, and work boots.
Despite extensive efforts, early search operations involving ground teams, aircraft, and marine units did not locate Ortiz. Investigators continued to pursue leads as the search remained ongoing.
On Saturday, Jan. 3, the sheriff’s office confirmed that Ortiz’s body was recovered from West Point Lake at approximately 1:45 p.m.
Officials said his cause of death has not yet been determined. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is overseeing the autopsy.
According to the TCSO, Ortiz’s body showed no immediate signs of trauma or injuries consistent with an attack, The LaGrange Daily News reported.
TCSO Lt. Stewart Smith told the newspaper that authorities initially were unsure whether water searches should be the primary focus.
“Unlike other water searches, this wasn’t a case where somebody said, ‘This is where he went down,’” Smith said. “We checked by boat, we checked with a drone, we checked with a helicopter and didn’t locate anything. We really didn’t know where he was.”
The TCSO said there are still unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of Ortiz’s death, many of which investigators hope will be clarified by the autopsy results.
“The case is still certainly wide open until we get that autopsy,” Smith told The LaGrange Daily News.
Anyone with information related to the case is urged to contact the TCSO’s criminal investigations division at 706-883-1616.
A spokesperson for the GBI said Tuesday, Jan. 6, that the autopsy is scheduled to be conducted this week, though it remains unclear when the final report will be completed.
