A fisherman discovered the body of a missing 33-year-old Hall County man in the lake on Saturday, February 22, 2020.
The body has been identified as that of Brian Dwayne Ferguson, age 33, of Gainesville, who has been missing since February 1.
The fisherman was at the end of Fishermans Cove off Price Rd. when he made the discovery in the water and called authorities at approximately 4:15 p.m. The Sheriff’s Office and Hall County Fire Services recovered the body from the lake.
The Sheriff’s Office has been investigating Ferguson’s disappearance since February 9 when family members reported him missing. They had last seen him on February 1 when he left saying he needed to go, “clear his head.”
Ferguson's truck was found in the Murrayville area near Barkers Bend Drive and Yellow Creek Road, but there was no sign of him. According to the preliminary investigation, the truck was left at the location on Saturday, February 8, with a flat tire, but they later said it could’ve been there as early as six days before they originally reported.
Attempts to locate Ferguson over the following days included interviews, air, foot and water searches, database searches and checks with neighboring agencies and hospitals. Other agencies involved in search efforts included the Georgia State Patrol Aviation Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Alpha Team K9 Search and Rescue. They also asked for the public’s help.
The body has been sent to the medical examiner for autopsy. The investigation is in its early stages as Sheriff’s Office Investigators work to determine cause and other circumstances surrounding the death.
