Clay County authorities find body during missing swimmer search

UPDATE Jan. 18: The Jacksonville Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the body located in Spring Lake, just after Christmas Day, is the one of Sean Leverette, Clay County Sheriff's Office said Thursday. No foul play is suspected.

UPDATE 6:36 a.m., Wednesday: 

The Clay County Sheriff's Office says deputies found a body Tuesday days after the department has been looking for missing swimmer Sean Leverette.

Since Friday, the agency has been attempting to locate Leverette who went missing while swimming in Spring Lake.

Sean's brother, Dave Leverette, said the body pulled from the lake is Sean's body.

His family said Sean was a Navy veteran and an aspiring law enforcement officer.

“My dad raised us to be good swimmers, so that’s not an issue,” said Leverette.

At this time, the Sheriff's Office is not confirming the identity of the person found. The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death.

The Sheriff's Office said it still has law-enforcement near Spring Lake.

UPDATE at 3:06 p.m., Tuesday: The Clay County Sheriff's Office says deputies found a body Tuesday days after the department has been looking for missing swimmer Sean Leverette.

Since Friday, the agency has been attempting to locate Leverette who went missing while swimming in Spring Lake.

Sean's brother, Dave Leverette, said the body pulled from the lake is Sean's body.

“My dad raised us to be good swimmers, so that’s not an issue,” Leverette said.

At this time, the Sheriff's Office is not confirming the identity of the person found. The Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death.

The Sheriff's Office said it still has law-enforcement near Spring Lake.

UPDATE, 7:45 a.m. SATURDAY: The Clay County Sheriff's Office said on Saturday that "at this time, Sean's current whereabouts are unknown. Currently our dive team and other personnel are focusing around the lake; however, we want to stress that Sean could be anywhere. Please remember that Sean is in no trouble and we do not suspect foul play at this time."

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UPDATE at 11:30 p.m.: The search for missing swimmer Sean Leverette has been suspended until Saturday morning, per the Clay County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities say foggy conditions made the search increasingly difficult.

Until the end of the night, crews had been on a boat using sonar in 12-15 foot deep water.

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Original Story 

Clay County officials said Friday that they are searching for a missing Keystone Heights swimmer near Spring Lake.

The Clay County Sheriff's Office said deputies, detectives and a dive team are on the scene searching for Sean Thomas Leverette, 27, who is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weights 155 pounds. Leverette has brown hair and brown eyes.

In a news conference about 9 p.m., Dep. Chris Padgett said three people were swimming in the lake around 5 p.m. Friday.

Two of the three people got out of the water and noticed Leverette was missing. The Clay County Sheriff's Office said the dive team was called out to search the lake shortly after Leverette's disappearance.

“Let’s not just assume that he’s here," Padgett said in the media conference. "Let’s look, and make sure people are being diligent themselves in possibly seeing him somewhere else.”

The Sheriff's Office will provide more information as it becomes available.

Cox Media Group