Authorities Recover 22-Year-Old Boater's Body in Tennessee Douglas Lake Drowning

David Molina, a 22-year-old man who went missing after jumping from a pontoon boat into Douglas Lake in Jefferson County, Tennessee, was found dead after a multi-day search. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, aided by several rescue squads including Carter County and Hawkins County teams, conducted extensive search efforts using side-scan sonar and remotely operated vehicles in deep sections of the lake near the Muddy Creek area. The search was complicated by the inability to pinpoint Molina’s exact entry point into the water and challenging weather conditions that temporarily suspended recovery operations. His body was located in over 80 feet of water and recovered, marking Tennessee’s 11th boating death in 2025. Authorities expressed condolences to Molina’s family and emphasized the ongoing risks associated with boating accidents on the lake. Other unrelated missing persons and local event reports were not included in this summary due to their lack of relevance to the central incident.