Body of man missing for nearly 2 months pulled from reservoir in Ohio
The body of a man missing for nearly two months was pulled from a reservoir in Deerfield Township, Ohio, authorities said on Wednesday.
The Portage County Sheriff's Office said in a post on Facebook that the body of Jacob R. Hemlick of Stark County was found in the Berlin Reservoir on Tuesday.
The Facebook post said first responders were called to the reservoir for a report of a possible body in the water near the dead end of Watson Road. The sheriff's office said a family boating on the Berlin Reservoir saw something floating in the water and contacted the police.
Sheriff's deputies, the Deerfield Township Fire Department, the Portage County Water Rescue Team and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources responded to the scene. That's when a rescue vessel located the man's body, authorities said.
In a Facebook post from January, the Stark County Sheriff's Office said Hemlick, 52, was last seen on Jan. 5. The Portage County Sheriff's Office said in Wednesday's Facebook post that Hemlick was reported missing on Jan. 12.
The man's body was taken to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office. An autopsy will determine the cause and manner of death, officials said. The investigation continues. No other information was released.
"Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones during this difficult time," Portage County Sheriff Bruce D. Zuchowski said on Facebook. "I want to thank the Deerfield Township Fire Department, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and the Portage County Water Rescue Team for their assistance and professionalism during this recovery operation."
