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Clay County Sheriff's Office: Soldier missing from Camp Blanding found deceased in wooded area

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — Clay County Sheriff's Office announced Friday night that Specialist Cayln McLemore was found dead in a wooded area. Officials say they are approaching this as an undetermined death investigation.

Our sister station Memphis 13 reports McLemore's family has been notified.

Original story:

A member of the Alabama Army Reserve is missing after participating in a land navigation exercise at Camp Blanding.

Soldier Cayln McLemore was participating in a land navigation assignment on Wednesday at 11 a.m., and has not been seen since, authorities said.

It was a military training class of the Basic Leader Course at Camp Blanding's 211th Regiment Regional Training Institute.

Searches were conducted late Thursday afternoon throughout the night.

Multiple agencies including Camp Blanding military personnel, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, are helping the Clay County Sheriff's Office in the search for McLemore.

Canines and mounted patrol are also being used in the search, officials said during a media briefing Friday.

"The combination of these units total over 450 men and women deployed to assist with the search for Specialist Cayln McLemore," Sheriff Darryl Daniels said a press release.

Some of McLemore's equipment -- water, food, paperwork and a tool to navigate -- was located by search teams.

CCSO said Friday night that crews will continue to search overnight and into Saturday morning for McLemore.

CCSO said their biggest obstacle in the search has been heat. Some crews had to leave, and be re-energized with IVs. On Friday evening, new crews began relieving the crews that have been searching all day.

Nothing has indicated anything suspicious about his disappearance or that McLemore is AWOL, authorities said.

Officials believe he may have become disoriented and dehydrated in the heat.

CCSO is expected to hold another update on their progress in the search on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.

🚨NEWS UPDATE, 6.22.18, 8 PM: It is with great regret we must inform the community that Specialist Calyn McLemore was found deceased, a short time ago, in a wooded area of Camp Blanding. This now becomes an undetermined death investigation. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all those agencies, media personnel and community members who supported us in this search. With this being an active investigation, there are no further details to be released at this time. #CCSOFL Missing Soldier Update - 6.22.18, 10:30 am: Due to cellular service difficulties, Facebook Live cut out several times. Please see our two other posts, as well. #CCSOFL

Posted by Clay County Sheriff's Office, Florida on Friday, June 22, 2018

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